History of South Dakota, Vol. II, Part 52

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 52

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

HON. DANIEL D. JONES, a native of Fox Lake, Wisconsin, was born March 15, 1862. and at the age of twenty years came to Brown county, South Dakota, with the growth and de- velopment of which he has since been very act- ively identified. Immediately following his ar- rival he bought a relinquishment near the site of Plana, later took up the quarter section on which the town stands and in 1886, when the Great Northern Railroad was being constructed through this part of the country, platted the vil- lage and offered the lots for sale. With an abid- ing faith in the growth and ultimate importance

of the village as a trading point and favorable place of residence, he erected a store building which he stocked with a miscellaneous assortment of merchandise and at once embarked in the goods business. The venture proved highly sat- isfactory, for the rapid growth of the town and adjacent country assured him a large and con- tinuously increasing patronage and within a com- paratively brief period his trade had so grown in magnitude and importance that he found him- self on the high road to prosperity.

Meanwhile Mr. Jones used his influence to attract a thrifty class of people to the commu- nity and he also became a power in public as well as business affairs. A Republican in all the term implies, he manifested such zeal in political mat- ters that in 1894 he was elected to represent Brown county in the state legislature ; he served during the fourth session of that body and during his incumbency was placed on some of the most important of the house committees, including among others, the judiciary and the warehouse committees. Mr. Jones retired from the legisla- ture with an honorable record and the good will of his constituents of all parties and from the expiration of his term until 1899 devoted his attention closely to mercantile business, in addi- tion to which he also became largely interested in real estate. In the latter year he received the nomination for clerk of the Brown county courts and in the election which followed de- feated the former incumbent, C. C. Fletcher, a popular man and formidable competitor, by a very decisive majority.

The better to discharge his official functions, Mr. Jones, shortly after the election, disposed of his mercantile establishment and, moving to the county seat, entered upon the duties of the clerkship. He proved an able and popular clerk. was courteous and obliging to all who had busi- ness to transact in the office, and his relations with the public were as pleasant and agreeable as his conduct was upright and exemplary. His term expiring in January, 1903, he at once turned his attention to his private affairs, not the least of which has been the improvement of Plana, where he has erected a number of buildings of

1254

HISTORY OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

different kinds, and in addition thereto he has aided very materially the growth and develop- ment of Aberdeen.

As indicated in a preceding paragraph, Mr. Jones has dealt considerably in real estate and at the present time he owns nine hundred and sixty acres of fine land in Brown county, the greater part being in the vicinity of Plana. He has im- proved much of his real estate, thus largely add- ing to its value and has extensive agricultural and live-stock interests from which he receives a liberal share of his income. He is also associ- ated in the grain business with E. G. Perry un- der the name of Perry & Jones, the firm thus con- stituted operating seven elevators in many places. the largest being in Aberdeen, from which city the business is conducted.

Mr. Jones has long been interested in the general growth and development of his adopted state, and has unbounded faith in its future. He has encouraged everything calculated to promote the welfare of Plana and its populace, stands for public improvements and has done as much per- haps as any one individual to advertise the ad- vantages of Brown county to the world as a fa- vorable locality for agriculture and stock raising and as a safe place for the investment of capital. Personally Mr. Jones is a gentlenian of unblem- ished character, as well as his career in public places and as the custodian of important trusts, has always been above reproach.

Mr. Jones was married in Wisconsin, in 1884, to Miss Maggie Jones, who departed this life on the 8th day of February, 1901. leaving one dangh- ter, Mabel, now pursuing her studies in the high school.

OLE W. EVERSON is a native of the far Norseland, having been born in Norway, on the Ioth of June, 1854, but he is essentially American in spirit and breeding, since he was an infant at the time when his parents, Henry and Stana Everson, left their native land and emigrated to America. For the first five years the family re- sided in the state of Illinois, whence they re- moved to Faribault county, Minnesota, where the

father engaged in farming and where the subject was reared to maturity, receiving his educational training in the common schools. When about eighteen years of age he left the parental roof to engage in the active duties of life on his own responsibility. He served an apprenticeship at the carpenter trade, which he continued to follow as an employe of one man for eight years, in western Minnesota. He then, in April, 1878, came to what is now the state of South Dakota, as one of the pioneers of Brown county, being ac- companied by his brothers, Benjamin and John, and a brother-in-law, William R. Howes, and all took up government land in the beautiful val- ley of the James river. They took up squatter's claims, and when the government survey was completed, in 1880, they filed formal entry on their land, while as soon as possible each of the party also took up a tree claim. In the summer seasons the subject returned for the first two years and worked at his trade, returning to his claims in the winter, in order to be able to perfect his title to the same. His mother came here in the fall of 1879, her husband having died in Min- nesota, and the two other hrothers here took up their permanent abode in the spring of the same year, the family being thus numbered among the first settlers in this section of Brown county. The subject instituted the improvement of his farm and for two years he added materially to his in- come by working at his trade in Orway and Co- lumbia. Since that time he has practically given his entire attention to his farming enterprise. having now a well impoved estate of five hun- dred and sixty acres, of which one hundred acres are on the west side of the James river, while the value of the place is increased by the fact that on the same is a fine growth of natural timber, cov- cring about thirty-three acres and including ash, box elder and willow trees. Four hundred acres are under cultivation and devoted principally to the raising of wheat, while the one hundred acres on the opposite side of the river are given over to grazing purposes, the live stock raised by Mr. Everson being of a high grade. He was reared in the Republican faith and continued to support the principles of this party until the re-

1255

HISTORY OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

form movement was inaugurated by the organ- ization of the Populist party, when he trans- ferred his allegiance to the same, later voting the Democratic ticket when a fusion was effected. He now holds himself independent of partisan lines and votes in accordance with the dictates of his judgment. Mr. Everson has not wavered in his allegiance to the state of South Dakota and has found his faith justified in the magnificent development of her resources, his satisfaction with conditions here having not been lessened by a tour of inspection and investigation which he made in Washington and Oregon in 1902. He is sparing no pains in the further improvement of his farm, and in the rich bottom lands is suc- cessfully growing fruit trees, having a fine or- chard well matured at the present time. Early in the spring of 1879 Mr. Everson built the first frame house in Brown county, and the same con- stitutes a portion of his present substantial and attractive residence.

In this county, on the 12th of May, 1883, Mr. Everson was united in marriage to Miss Della Bigsby, a stepdaughter of Daniel Farley, one of the sterling pioneers of the county. Of this mar- riage have been born five children. namely : Henry James, Frank Marion, Stana Maria, George Marshall and Henrietta Jane.

PETER C. CLELAND was born on a farm near Whitewater, Jefferson county, Wisconsin, on the 30th of November, 1847, being a son of James and Mary (Wilson) Cleland, both of whom were born and reared in Scotland, where their marriage was solemnized on the 21st of April, 1837. About three years later they emi- grated to America and located in Jefferson county, Wisconsin, on the farm near Whitewater, where they passed the residue of their earnest and useful lives, the father of the subject being summoned to that "undiscovered country from whose bourne no traveler returns," on the 16th of October, 1888, while his devoted and loved wife entered into eternal rest December 10, 1893. each being seventy-six years of age at the time of death.

Peter C. Cleland was reared on the pioneer homestead and his educational advantages in his youth were such as were afforded in the district schools. At the age of seventeen years he left school to respond to the call of higher duty, en- listing as a private in Company B, Third Wiscon- sin Volunteer Infantry, and joining his regiment at Atlanta, Georgia, while he served under Col- onel Hawley and accompanied Sherman on his memorable march to the sea. Mr. Cleland was present at the surrender of General Johnston, at Raleigh, North Carolina, and thence marched with his command to the city of Washington, where he participated in the Grand Review, there receiving his honorable discharge in June, 1865, having served nine months and having proved a loyal and valiant soldier. After his return home he attended school during one winter term and thereafter continued to assist his father in the work of the home farm until he had attained his legal majority, when, on February 22, 1869, he started for the territory of Dakota, making Clay county his destination and here taking up a homestead claim in Spirit Mound township, where he began to make improvements and place the farm under cultivation. In the spring of 1875 Mr. Cleland left the farm and started for the Black Hills, but when about half the distance had been traversed his goods were burned by the government, which means was taken to stop im- migration to that section, and our subject then returned to his farm. Two years later, however, he again set forth for the forbidden country, which he reached in due time, remaining in the Black Hills about six months and devoting his attention to prospecting and mining for gold. He then returned to his home and has ever since been actively engaged in farming, now having a well-improved place of one hundred and sixty acres, and receiving excellent returns for the labors expended in tilling the willing soil. Mr. Cleland has been identified with the Populist party from the time of its organization, and has attended every state convention of his party in South Dakota. He and his wife are valued mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church at Bloomingdale, and Mr. Cleland is a member of

1256

HISTORY OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

the Grand Army of the Republic, Miner Post, No. 8, at Vermillion.

On Sunday, March 12, 1876, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Cleland and Miss Nellie Kimball, the ceremony being performed in the home of the bride's parents, in Spirit Mound township. She was born in Kane county, Illinois, on the Ioth of April, 1855. being a daughter of Jonathan and Hannah Kimball, who came from Illinois to Clay county in 1868, being numbered among the early settlers in Spirit Mound town- ship, where they passed the remainder of their lives, the death of the father occurring January 23, 1893, while his wife passed away August 6, 1895. Mr. Kimball was one of the prominent and influential citizens of this section, and was a member of the committee which framed the first state constitution and also that which framed the present constitution. Mr. and Mrs. Cleland became the parents of three children, namely : Annie Belle, who was born June 20, 1878; Blanche Lenore, who was born April 21, 1882, and died February 14, 1888; and Philip J., who was born December 31, 1885. The family is prominent in the social life of the community and the pleasant home is a center of cordial hospitality.

ROBERT T. SEDAM was born in Union- town, Pennsylvania, on the 15th of February, 1839, being a son of Robert and Eve Sedam, representatives of early settled families in that section of our national domain. He received most meager educational advantages in his youth, his actual schooling being confined to six months, but his alert mentality and determination have en- abled him to overcome this preliminary handicap, and through self-application, observation and active association with men and affairs he has gained a broad fund of practical knowledge and is recognized as a man of strong intellectuality. In May, 1839, at the age of six weeks, Mr. Sedam accompanied his parents on their removal to Freeport, Stephenson county, Illinois, where he was reared to manhood, the family having lo- cated on a farm in Stephenson county, as pioneers of that section.

Mr. Sedam continued to be identified with agricultural pursuits in Illinois until there came the call to higher duty, as the integrity of the nation was imperiled through armed rebellion. On the 19th of April, 1861, he tendered his services in defense of the Union, enlisting as a private in Company C, Fifteenth Illinois Volun- teer Infantry, with which he proceeded to the front, his regiment being assigned to the Army of the Tennessee. He continued in active service for four years, six months and twelve days, re- ceiving his honorable discharge, at Springfield, in July, 1865, after having made a record as a valiant and faithful soldier and having partici- pated in many of the most notable battles of the great conflict. In October. 1864, at Acworth, Georgia, Mr. Sedam was captured by the Con- federate forces under General Hood, and was held a prisoner in Andersonville for seven months and twelve days, enduring to the full the horrors and privations of that ill-famed prison pen. After the close of the war Mr. Sedam returned to Ogle county, Illinois, where he continued to be identified with agricultural pursuits until 1881, in October of which year he came to what is now the state of South Dakota, and took up the first I claim in the present township of St. Lawrence, Hand county, filing a homestead entry. He con- tinued to be actively engaged in farming and stock growing until October, 1895. when he took up his residence in the village of St. Lawrence, where he is now in the employ of F. A. Altenow, who is here engaged in the general merchandise business.

In politics Mr. Sedam has ever given a stanch support to the Republican party, and in 1893 he was elected to represent his district in the state legislature, serving one term, during the third general assembly. He is now chairman of the board of education of his home town and chair- man of the Hand county Republican committee. He is a prominent and honored member of the Masonic fraternity, being identified with Lodge No. 39. Ancient Free and Accepted Masons ; and St. Lawrence Chapter, No. 24. Royal Arch Ma- sons, in each of which he has passed the official chairs. He is high priest of his chapter at the

1257

HISTORY OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

time of this writing, and in 1894 he had the distinction of serving as grand high priest of the grand chapter of the state. He also holds mem- bership in St. Lawrence Lodge, No. 29, Ancient Order of United Workmen, in which he has held the office of master three years, while in 1895 he was grand foreman of the grand lodge of the order in the state. He manifests his deep interest in his old comrades in arms by affiliating with Colonel Ellis Post, No. 53, Grand Army of the Republic. His wife is a zealous and active mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal church.

On the Ist of October, 1865, in Beloit, Wis- consin, Mr. Sedam was united in marriage to Miss Emeret M. Buckley, who was born in Genesee county, New York, and who was reared and educated in Illinois, being a daughter of Ebenezer and Emily Buckley. Mr. and Mrs. Sedam have eleven children, whose names, in order of birth, are as follows: Robert, John, Edward, Howard, Fred, Almeda, Jennie, Fannie, Ralph, James and Eva.

JOHN E. WEST is a native of the Empire state of the Union, having been born in the city of Syracuse, New York, on the 22d of May, 1848, and being a son of Henry and Elizabeth (Bloomer) West. He was reared in his native commonwealth and there secured a common- school education. When but fifteen years of age he manifested in a significant way his loyalty to the Union, the country being then in the period of the great Civil war. In 1863 he enlisted in the Fourteenth New York Heavy Artillery, proceed- ing with his command to the front and taking part in a number of the most hotly contested battles incident to the farther progress of the war, among the number being Spottsylvania, the Wilderness, Petersburg and Fort Steadman. He received his honorable discharge in Washington City, 1865, having proved himself a valiant young soldier and gaining the right to be designated as a youthful veteran. He retains an interest in his old comrades in arms and perpetuates the associa- tions of his army days by retaining membership in the Grand Army of the Republic. 20-

After the close of the war Mr. West was variously employed in the state of New York until 1874, when he secured the position of fireman on the New York Central Railroad. Four years later he was given an engine and continued in the employ of that great system for eight years. In 1883 he entered the employ of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad, and in this con- nection established his residence and head- quarters in Aberdeen, which has thus been his home for the past score of years, during which time he has had runs out from this point, now hauling the passenger train west of Aberdeen. He has ever been self-controlled and clear-minded in his thirty years of service as an engineer and his record has not been marred by serious ac- cidents. He is a popular member of the Brother- hood of Locomotive Engineers and also of the time-honored Masonic fraternity, in which he has attained the thirty-second degree of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite. In politics he gives his allegiance to the Republican party, taking an intelligent and lively interest in the questions and issues of the day.

At Bowdle, Edmunds county, South Dakota, on the 13th of February, 1889, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. West to Miss Mamie C. Barndt, who was born at St. Mary's, Ohio, and reared at McComb, Hancock county, Ohio. They have two daughters, Florence and Helen. The parents of Mrs. West were L. T. and Louise (Crawford) Barndt. The father was born at New Lexington, Perry county, Ohio, and died at Everett, Washington, on December 7, 1903, at the age of seventy-one years. The mother, who is still living, was also born in Ohio.

JAMES H. POND is a native of Calhoun county, Michigan, where his birth occurred on January 7, 1853. His father, James E. Pond, a native of Franklin county, New York, and a farmer by occupation, was one of the pioneers of Michigan, settling in the county of Calhoun as early as 1842, and taking an active and prominent part in its development. He married in Michi- gan Eliza Stillson, daughter of Baker Stillson,

1258

HISTORY OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

who was also an early settler of Calhoun county, moving there about the year 1844. The boyhood and youth of James H. were spent on the family homestead in Michigan, and after a preliminary training in the common schools he entered the high school of Marshall, from which institution he was in due time graduated. Later he took a course in the Northern Indiana Normal at Val- paraiso, after which he taught of winter seasons in his native county, until 1880, when he came to South Dakota, and took up a homestead in Brown county, about six miles north of Aberdeen. From that time until 1897 he devoted his atten- tion to farming and to the improvement of his land, also taught several terms the meanwhile and earned an enviable reputation as a success- ful instructor and able manager of schools. Since coming to South Dakota Mr. Pond has improved two farms and now owns three hundred and twenty acres of fine land in Brown county, nearly all of which is in a high state of cultivation.

In 1882 Mr. Pond effected a copartnership with G. L. Farnham in the real-estate business, opening an office in Ordway, which place at that time entertained hopes of becoming the state capital. After one year the firm was dissolved, from the expiration of which time until 1897 the subject devoted his attention to agriculture and educational work, meeting with encouraging suc- cess in both lines of. endeavor, especially the former. In the latter year he discontinued farm- ing and since then has been engaged in the real- estate business, his operations the meanwhile tak- ing a wide range and returning him liberal profits. Mr. Pond handles all kinds of real estate and commands a large and lucrative patronage, buy- ing and selling lands and city property in nearly every county of South Dakota, besides acting as special agent for C. E. Gibson, of Boston, who owns about one hundred and fifty farms in this state, the renting and management of which are left entirely to the subject's judgment and dis- cretion. He is empowered to sell or trade these farms when he can do so to advantage, also in- spects other lands which his employer contem- plates purchasing, the latter being guided very largely in the matter by such representations and

suggestions as the subject makes. In addition to the Gibson agency, Mr. Pond has charge of about fifty farms in Brown county owned by other parties, which he rents, manages, sells or trades, as the case may be, and in an early day he rendered valuable service to settlers by locating claims and otherwise assisting them to get a start in the new country. While thus engaged he met with many thrilling experiences and not a few dangers, traveling as he did over all parts of the country in all seasons. Upon several occasions he encountered terrific blizzards, from some of which he narrowly escaped with his life, and in all experienced hardships and suffering in which were tested to the utmost his strength and en- durance.

Through the medium of his business Mr. Pond has been instrumental not only in advertis- ing the advantages and remarkable natural re- sources of South Dakota to the world, but in at- tracting to the state an intelligent, enterprising class of people, who have accomplished great re- sults in the matter of its material development. He is first of all a business man, and as such ranks with the most enterprising and progressive of his contemporaries, and everything making for the prosperity of his city and county or for the welfare of his fellow men receives his en- couragement. In politics he affiliates with the Democratic party, but is not a partisan in the sense of seeking official position.

Mr. Pond was married on April 7, 1886, at Ordway, to Miss Lizzie Smith, daughter of Cap- tain William Smith, one of the pioneers of 1880.

BENJAMIN H. RICE holds the responsible position of superintendent of the Brown County Hospital, in the city of Aberdeen. The hospital was established in the year 1891, as a private in- stitution, but with no farm in connection. Two years later, in recognition of the exigent needs, the county effected the purchase of the property, which occupied an entire block in the northern part of the city, and at once enlarged the build- ings, to which various additions have since been made from time to time, to meet the demands

1259

HISTORY OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

placed upon the noble institution. The hospital is equipped with modern appliances and con- veniences and has at the present time accommo- dations for about forty patients or indigent per- 1 sons. The hospital department is maintained as entirely separate from the infirmary proper, and those from any class in life can secure treatment and care, as well as the unfortunate wards of the county. The hospital had three superintendents prior to the incumbency of Mr. Rice, who was appointed to the office in April, 1901, by the hoard of county commissioners, and his retention in the office offers the best voucher for the fidelity and discrimination which he has brought to bear in the discharge of his duties.

Mr. Rice was born on a farm in Green Lake county, Wisconsin, on the Ist of December, 1851, being a son of Benjamin H., Sr., and Judith (Colvin) Rice. When he was thirteen years of age his parents took up their residence in Olm- stead county, that state, and later to Pope county, Minnesota, where our subject was reared to man- hood, having grown up under the sturdy dis- cipline of the farm, while his educational training was secured in the common schools. He con- tinued to reside in or near Sauk Center, Minne- sota, until 1882, when he came to Brown county, South Dakota, arriving here in May and taking up a pre-emption claim of government land, which he improved and proved upon, while he also secured a homestead claim in the same town- ship of Allison, and upon the same continued to reside until he was appointed to his present posi- tion. This homestead farm of one hundred and sixty acres is well improved and under excellent cultivation, and he retained possession of the property until 1901, when he sold the same. He was one of the very first settlers in the township mentioned and is highly esteemed in the county which has so long been his home. In politics Mr. Rice has been a most ardent worker in the cause of the Republican party, but has never sought official preferment as a candidate for elective posi- tion. Fraternally he is identified with the lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Frederick, this county, this village being in the vicinity of his old homestead, and he has passed

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of South Dakota, Vol. II, Part 52

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