History of South Dakota, Vol. II, Part 62

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 62

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Frukbottle.

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party he has ever been active and zealous. In 1898 he was elected a member of the state legisla- ture, and he has been postmaster at Smithville from the establishment of the office.

On May 29, 1900, at Rapid City. Mr. Cottle was married to Miss Martha Christensen. They have three children, Antoinette, Clara and Albert Henry.

GEORGE VINCENT AYRES was born on a farm in Northmoreland township, Wyoming county, Pennsylvania, on the Ist of November, 1852, and is a son of James L. and Patience Maria (Vincent ) Ayres. James Leonard Ayres was born in New York City on the IIth of May, 1810, and his death occurred at Beatrice, Nebraska, on the IIth of December. 1892. At Kingston, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, on the TIth of November. 1837. the Rev. Benjamin Bidlack pronounced the words which united him in wedlock to Miss Patience Maria Vincent, who was born in Beakman township, Dutchess county, New York, on the 19th of October, 1819, and who still maintains her home in Beatrice, Ne- braska. Of the genealogy in the paternal line, the subject has practically no authentic data, but on the maternal side the line is clearly traced for several generations. His mother was a daughter of Richard and Hanna (Albro) Vincent, who were married in 1806, the former being a son of Reynolds and Patience ( Bull) Vincent. he being a son of Richard and Rachel (Mabee) Vincent. The maternal grandparents of the subject re- moved from Dutchess county, New York, to Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, in 1820.

George V. Ayres early accompanied his parents to the west and was reared amid the scenes and conditions of the pioneer era, while his educational advantages in youth were such as were afforded by the schools of the early days, his discipline in the line being completed in the public schools of Beatrice, Nebraska. His ex- periences were those of the average hoy located on a frontier farm, where neighbors were few and far removed from each other. He passed through the hardships of western frontier life

from 1859 to 1866, having few associates aside from the members of his own family, while there was much of self-denial and deprivation. All had to work hard, the facilities for pleasure and recreation were few, but happiness and content- ment were not lacking. In 1857, when he was about five years of age, his parents removed from Pennsylvania to Franklin township, DeKalb county, Illinois, where they took up their resi- dence in March of that year. In the fall they removed to McDonough county, where they passed the winter, and in the spring of 1858 located in Hancock county, remaining until the fall of the same year, when they located in Buchanan county, Missouri, and in the following spring took up their abode in Nemaha county, Kansas, where all were so afflicted with chills and fever that one member of the family was not able to care for another. In the spring of 1860 they removed to Gage county. Nebraska, locating on a farm five miles east of Blue Springs, remaining until the spring of 1866, when they removed to the town of Beatrice, in or- der that the children might secure educational ad- vantages. The family made the entire trip from Pennsylvania to Nebraska in a wagon drawn by oxen. In 1864 our subject and his father crossed the plains from Beatrice to Fort Kearney and Julesburg, returning home just in time to escape the Indian massacre of that year. He remained in Beatrice with his parents, attending school in winter and working on neighboring farms in sun- mer, until the spring of 1870, when he secured a position in a local drug store, where he learned the business, remaining in this establishment until February 28, 1876, when he resigned, and on the Ist of the following month started for the Black Hills, then practically unknown and still a part of the Sioux Indian reservation. The trip was made via Cheyenne. Wyoming, where our sub- ject and companions hired a team and wagon loaded with provisions, and on the 8th of March started across the country, by way of Fort Lara- mie, for Custer City, in the Black Hills, reach- ing their destination about noon on the 25th of the same month, in the midst of a fierce snow- storm. The party was on the road between

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Cheyenne and Custer City for a period of sev- enteen days and snow fell on ten of these days, while at times the weather was severely cold, en- tailing no little discomfort, as the party was poorly equipped, having no tents and being com- pelled to sleep out of doors each night during the entire trip. Their team was overloaded, so the men in the party walked nearly the entire distance of three hundred miles. At Indian creek they encountered a large party of Sioux Indians, but as it was cold and blustering they made no attack upon the party. At Cheyenne river, how- ever, the Indians attacked them about three o'clock in the morning, but fortunately none of the party was injured.

Mr. Ayres remained in Custer City until May, 1876, when he pushed on to Deadwood, arriving there on the 23d of that month. Being unable to secure employment as a druggist or in the mines, he associated himself with others and en- tered into a contract to cut one hundred thou- sand feet of saw logs for the firm of Thompson & Street. Just before the completion of this con- tract Mr. Ayres suffered an attack of mountain fever, a disease which was prevalent and often fatal in the northern hills at that time, and after recovering sufficiently to travel, he returned, in July, to Custer City. In making this trip he over- taxed his energies and the result was that he suffered a relapse, being ill during the remainder of the summer. His friends greatly feared that he would not recover, but finally recuperated and being now without funds he again began "hus- tling." doing considerable prospecting and also working at carpentering with his partner, who was a competent workman in the line. In the latter part of October, 1876, he secured a posi- tion in the general merchandise store of Harlow & Company, in which establishment was located the office of the Cheyenne & Black Hills stage office. He remained with this firm until the next July, at one time having had charge of a branch store at Sheridan, on Spring creek, and in the latter part of the month mentioned, he engaged in placer mining in Sunday gulch, near Hill City. The mine did not prove a success and in Sep- tember Mr. Ayres resigned his interest to his

partners and started for Deadwood in search of employment, riding from Custer to Jenny's stockade in a buckboard and thence to Dead- wood on top of the stage coach. He reached his destination "flat broke," as the expression goes, being finally able to secure work and provide for his temporary needs. In the latter part of Sep- tember he returned to Custer for the purpose of voting in connection with the election to deter- mine the location of the county seat, and while there he received a telegram stating that R. C. Lake would give him a position in his hardware store in Deadwood. He immediately started for that place, walking thirty-five miles of the inter- vening distance, through snow nearly a foot deep. The morning following his arrival he en- tered the employ of Mr. Lake in the capacity of bookkeeper and salesman, and from this point his success became assured, his present business being conducted on the same site, where he has labored for more than a quarter of a century. In the spring of 1882 he secured an interest in the busi- ness, as junior partner, under the firm name of Ismon & Ayres, Mr. Lake remaining in the con- cern as a special partner. In the spring of 1884 Mr. Ismon sold his interest to H. B. Wardman, whereupon the firm title became Ayres & Ward- man, so continuing until 1895. In the spring of that year the business was incorporated by Mr. Ayres, Mr. Wardman and A. J. Malterner under the name of Ayres & Wardman Hardware Com- pany, the subject becoming president and general manager and thus continuing until March 18, 1900, when he and Mr. Malterner purchased the interests and stock of Mr. Wardman, the corpo- ration being cancelled on the Ist of the following May, while the two principals then formed a co-partnership under the firm name of George V. Ayres & Company, under which title the exten- sive enterprise is conducted at the present time.

In his political allegiance Mr. Ayres is an un- compromising Republican and is well fortified in his conviction as a matter of public policy. He was a member of the city council of Custer City under the provisional government, in 1876-7. be- fore the treaty was signed by which the Indians abandoned their claim to the Black Hills in favor

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of the federal government. He was receiver of public moneys in the United States land office at Rapid City from January 2, 1890, until June 8, 1893, having been appointed by President Har- rison and resigning after the election of Presi- dent Cleveland. He was a member of the city council of Deadwood from May, 1900, to May, 1902, when he declined a renomination.

Mr. Ayres is one of the prominent and hon- ored Freemasons of the state, his record in the connection being a noteworthy one. He was raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason June 27. 1874, in Beatrice Lodge, No. 26, An- cient Free and Accepted Masons, at Beatrice, Ne- braska, and later served the same as secretary and junior warden. On the 16th of April, 1882, he dimitted from this lodge, and on the 7th of the following November affiliated with Dead- wood Lodge, No. 7, of which he still remains a member. He served as junior and senior war- den of this lodge in turn, and November 7, 1884, was elected worshipful master of the same, in which capacity he served three successive years, while he was again elected to the office Decem- her 2, 1902, and served one year. Never having previously held any office in the grand lodge, he was "taken from the floor" and elected deputy grand master of the grand lodge of Dakota, on the 13th of June, 1888, while on the 12th of June of the following year he was elected grand mas- ter of the grand lodge of the newly admitted state of South Dakota, having the distinction of being the first to hold the office and serving for one year. On the 13th of July, 1875, Mr. Ayres re- ceived the final degree in Livingston Chapter, No. 10. Royal Arch Masons, at Beatrice, Nebraska, of which he served as secretary in the same year. In 1880 he dimitted from this chapter and affili- ated with Dakota Chapter, No. 3, at Deadwood, on the 8th of that month, while on the 22d of the following December he was elected its treasurer, serving three years, after which he was secretary of the chapter for six successive years from De- cember 12, 1883. January 10, 1904, he was elected high priest, for a term of two years. On the 13th of June, 1895, he was taken from the floor of the grand chapter of the state and elected

deputy grand high priest, while on the 12th of June. 1896, he was elected grand high priest, serving one year. On the 9th of October, 1895, Mr. Ayres received the degrees in Lakotah Coun- cil, U. D., Royal and Select Masters, in Dead- wood, of which he was appointed deputy master the same evening. On the Ist of January, 1881, he received the orders of knighthood in Dakota Commandery, No. I. Knights Templar, in Dead- wood, of which he was elected recorder in 1883, while by subsequent elections in later years he held the office for a total of six years. In 1884 he was elected junior warden of the command- ery, senior warden in 1885, generalissimo in 1887, and eminent commander in 1888. June 22, 1895, he was elected grand senior warden of the grand commandery of South Dakota, was made grand captain general the following year, grand gen- eralissimo in 1897, deputy grand commander in 1898, and grand commander on the 16th of June, 1899, serving one year. In the grand council of annointed high priests of the state, on the 11th of June, 1896, he was annointed a high priest, and is an active member of that body. In the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite of the south- ern jurisdiction Mr. Ayres received the degrees in Golden Belt Lodge of Perfection, No. 5, on the IIth of April, 1893 ; Robert Bruce Chapter, Rose Croix, No. 3, April 11, 1893; Deadwood Coun- cil of Kadosh, No. 3, April 12, 1893 ; and Black Hills Consistory, No. 3. July 14th, of the same year, and has been an active member ever since. On October 20, 1903, he was elected knight com- mander of the Court of Honor. In the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine Mr. Ayres crossed the burning sands in Naja Temple, located in Deadwood, on April 14, 1893. He was elected assistant rabban in 1894 and 1895, was chosen chief rabban the following year, and illustrious potentate in 1897, while in the following year he was representative to the imperial council. He was one of the organizers and is an active member of the Masonic Veterans' Association of the state. He is identified with Deadwood Lodge, No. 508, Benevolent and Pro- tective Order of Elks. He is an active and en- thusiastic member of the Society of Black Hills

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Pioneers, of which he formerly served as presi- dent ; is also identified with the Deadwood Busi- ness Club and the Olympic Association, having served as a member of the directorate of each, and is identified with the State Historical Soci- ety. Reverting to his political associations, we may say that Mr. Ayres has served consecutively since 1898 as chairman of the Lawrence county Republican central committee, while he is also at the time of this writing a member and vice-chair- man of the Republican state central committee. He is a man of genial nature, sincere and whole- souled, and has the esteem and confidence of all who know him, while he has a host of staunch friends in business, fraternal, political and social circles.

Mr. Ayres has been twice married. At Beat- rice, Nebraska, on the 23d of April, 1885, he was united to Miss Kate Towle, daughter of Albert Towle, one of the organizers of that town, in 1857, and its postmaster for nineteen years, while his daughter Kate was the first white child born in Gage county, that state. She was born August 15, 1859, and her death occurred March 28, 1892, in Deadwood. Of the children of this union were: James Albert, born March 29, 1886, who is now a resident of Donglas, Wyoming ; and Helen, born January 1, 1888. died on the 13th of the following June. On the 21st of December, 1898. Mr. Ayres wedded Miss Myrtle E. Coon, only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. C. B. Coon, of Omaha, Nebraska, and they have three children, namely: George Vincent, Jr., who was born August 18, 1899: Frances, born August 11, 1900, and Alice, born December 19, 1902.

COL. FRANK CRANE .- On the 14th day of December. 1855. the subject of this sketch was born in the state of Wisconsin. He was educated at Gale College, receiving from that excellent in- stitution the degrees of Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts. At sixteen years of age he felt called to the teacher's life and began an educa- tional career which, with few gaps, has extended over more than a quarter of a century. He taught with success in his native state until 1878,

when, in company with other venturesome young men, he entered South Dakota on a prospecting tour. Soon he returned to Wisconsin, only to find unrest among old friends and surroundings. A love for South Dakota had been born in the youth's heart. Coming to Codington county, this state, in the early part of 1879, he coquetted with his fair charmer until the closing days of that summer. After spending the following winter in Wisconsin, he finally severed the cords that bound him to the Badger state and returned to South Dakota to become one of her permanent citizens.

In the spring of 1880 Colonel Crane was made city superintendent of the Watertown schools and entered immediately upon his work. At the fall election of 1882 he was elected by a hand- some majority to serve the people of Codington county as their school superintendent. Con- vinced that he had tolerated to the full a single existence, Colonel Crane went to Sparta, Wis- consin, in 1882 and on the 26th day of December was happily married to Miss Martha Crouch. When asked why his wedding day was not on the 25th, the Colonel, with a twinkle in his eye, in- variably replies, "The girl said that I should pick any day after Christmas and, of course, I chose the 26th." Beginning Jannary 1, 1883, he held the offices of county and city superintendent until the county work became so burdensome as to require his full time. Then he resigned his city position and de- voted himself entirely to the work of county su- pervision. So popular and successful was hie in the county superintendency that the people of Codington county held him in the office for ten successive years.

It is a well-known fact that the educator is not a money maker and that many times he must do something "on the side" so that he may lay by a little store for seasons of drought. Retir- ing from the Codington county superintendency, Colonel Crane spent a couple of years in money getting. He dabbled in land to good effect, and still possesses some valuable real estate as a mon- 1tinent to his keenness and good judgment. His first real-estate deal involved the purchase of a

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tract of railway land. For this he was to pay in installments, the purchase price being two dol- lars per acre. The young pedagogue was "strapped" by his first payment, but had faith in his proposition and proceeded to break and seed the tract. The resulting crop paid for the land and in the fall it was sold for ten dollars per acre.

But the business world was not destined to permanently remove Colonel Crane from the field of education. His abilities were recognized throughout the state and he was called to serve the people in the capacity of state superinten- dent. In 1895 he entered upon his new work and proceeded at once to dignify and exalt the office with which he had been honored. From the po- litical campaign of 1896-that campaign which resulted disastrously to so many Republicans- Colonel Crane came forth a handsome winner in his canvass for re-election. Through earnest ef- fort on his part the work of the rural schools was more thoroughly systematized and general edu- cational advancement was effected.

Early in 1899, immediately following a most successful career in office, the subject of this sketch was admitted to the bar and opened a law office at his old home in Watertown. That year he was appointed secretary of the Republican state central committee and assisted Governor Herreid, the chairman, in conducting a strenu- ous campaign. In 1900 Colonel Crane was se- lected to serve as chairman of the state commit- tee. He and his lieutenants managed that cam- paign so well that the state swung from its posi- tion in the doubtful column and became Republi- can by fourteen thousand majority. Because of his eminent ability as a campaign manager, Colonel Crane was called to again lead the Repub- lican forces in 1902. It was with some reluc- tance that he assumed the burden, but after be- ing importuned by every candidate of the Repub- lican ticket, he finally yielded his private interests to the public good. A surprising victory-with a Republican majority approaching twenty-five thousand-crowned his efforts. In 1904 Colonel Crane was induced to serve a third time as chair- man of the Republican state central committee.

Since March, 1901. Colonel Crane has held the responsible position of clerk of the supreme court, and may be found any day busied with the work of his office. He is a man of action-one who "does things." He is a true friend and gen- ial companion. Of splendid character, he has since boyhood been connected with the Methodist Episcopal church, at present being a faithful member of the Watertown branch of that society. He is a South Dakotan, through and through, and hopes to live his entire life on our fertile plains. He is not "going back" somewhere to end his days, but will stick to South Dakota. As a member of Governor Herreid's staff, he is prop- erly known as "Colonel" Crane,-the people's friend.

WILLIAM WALPOLE is a native of County Kilkenny, Ireland, where he was born on the 6th of November. 1842, being a son of William and Ellen Walpole, who were both born in Ire- land, being of English and Scotch lineage. Both the paternal and maternal grandfathers of the subject were signally loyal to the interests of the fair Emerald Isle and took an active part in the struggles made by the patriots to throw off the yoke of tyranny. The subject secured his edu- cational discipline in the schools of his native land, where he remained until he had attained the age of twenty-three years, when, in 1866, he came to America, realizing that here were to be had better opportunities for the attaining of in- dependence and prosperity through personal ef- fort. In the July of 1866 he came to the territory of Dakota and for the ensuing twelve years. fol- lowed the dangerous and somewhat precarious vo- cation of scout and trapper, meeting with many encounters with the Indians and enduring hard- ships that would try the mettle of any man. He was also among the early pioneers in the Black Hills, having run an overland freighting train be- tween Pierre and Deadwood and having had at this time numerous encounters with the Indians, who were a constant menace to life and property. Mrs. Walpole is a communicant of the Roman Catholic church. At one time while the subject

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was freighting from Pierre, Harry Knowlton, alias Reable George, shot and killed David Rouck on the tongue of Mr. Walpole's wagon. Knowl- ton was tried at Yankton and was found guilty of murder. He subsequently got a new trial and was acquitted. Since then he has served time in several prisons, but reformed and is now a Christian evangelist in San Francisco. It is but just to state that his faithful wife stuck to him through all the vicissitudes of his career. In 1879 Mr. Walpole took up his residence in Yank- ton county, and for a time was identified with railroad construction work, while since that he has given his attention to farming and stock- growing, in which he has been successful, while he is one of the honored pioneers of the state and popular citizens of Yankton county. In politics he gives a stanch support to the Democratic party, and both he and his wife are communicants of the Protestant Episcopal church, while fraternally he is identified with the Improved Order of Red Men, Gray Eagle Tribe, No. 9.

On the 4th of March, 1878, Mr. Walpole was united in marriage to Miss Rosa A. Fagan, who was born in Dunleath, Illinois, in 1856, being a daughter of Michael and Mary Ann (Walsh) Fagan. Mr. and Mrs. Walpole have three chil- dren, Robert E., William R. and Elizabeth M.

JAMES W. FOWLER, one of the prominent and influential members of the bar of the state, was born in the city of Brooklyn, New York, on the Ist of August, 1845, and is a son of Peter and Margaret (Corcoran) Fowler, both of whom were born and reared in Kilkenny .. Ireland, the Fowler family being of stanch Scottish lineage, the paternal grandfather of the subject having been born in the land of hills and heather, while the Corcoran line is traced back through many generations in Ireland, the maternal grandfather, Michael Corcoran, having been born in Kilkenny, where he passed his entire life. He was a clergy- man of the Presbyterian church and was a man of high attainments and marked influence.

Peter and Margaret Fowler immigrated to the United States, in 1845. the subject. who is the

only son, having been born a few months after their arrival. They remained here two years, and then returned to the Emerald Isle, where they continued to make their home until 1853, when the father again came to America, locating in the city of Cincinnati, Ohio, where he became interested in the St. Clair Pork Packing Com- pany, which made extensive shipments of pork to Ireland and France. He there continued to make his home until his death, which occurred in 1886, his wife passing away in 1852. They had one son and two daughters. The elder daughter, Margaret, died in 1875, in Cincinnati, and the younger is Mrs. Alice Bennett, of Raw- lins, Wyoming. The subject of this review re- ceived his early education in the schools of Cin- cinnati, and when but nine years of age, in 1854, he left the parental home and went to Butler county, Ohio, where he worked on a farm and attended school as opportunity presented, and he continued to be engaged in farming and team- ing until about 1867, usually giving his atten- tion to freighting hogs to the Cincinnati market during the winter seasons. After leaving the farm he went to Illinois and located in Mason City, in which place and vicinity he passed the en- suing four years. While still a resident of Ohio he had given careful and assiduous attention to the study of law, making such progress that in 1867 he secured admission to the bar of the state. In 1871 he went to Nebraska, locating in Saline county, where he made his home for nine years, having been engaged in the hardware business for the greater portion of the time, while from 1877 forward to 1880 he was there estab- lished in the practice of his profession, in which he met with gratifying success. In the year last mentioned he came to the Black Hills district of South Dakota and took up his residence in Rapid City, where he was engaged in practice until the spring of 1899, when he came to Dead- wood, which has since continued to be his home and professional headquarters. He is recognized as the leading corporation lawyer in this section of the state, and has won many notable victories in important litigations, among which may be noted the following: That of McGuire versus

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History of South Dakota, Vol. II, Part 62

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