History of South Dakota, Vol. II, Part 69

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 69

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In 1873 Mr. Osbon married Miss Oral E. Reed, a native of Ripley, Ohio, and has six sons : Orman K., Will M .. Kenneth A., Guy, Don and Clarence.

DANIEL BROWN, present judge of Miner county, was born in Jackson county, Indiana, February II, 1835, and it has been his fortune to owe allegianee to five of the great common- wealths until eventually he found a permanent abiding place in the "land of the Dakotas." When Mr. Brown appeared in the scene there was no

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organized educational system in the Hoosier state, such schools as they had being of the primitive character supported by private benevolence, the teachers "boarding around" and taking uncertain pay from patrons of the neighborhood. It was by irregular attendance at such fountains of learning that Mr. Brown acquired the rudiments of knowledge out of the old-fashioned speller and Pike's Arithmetic. When twelve years old his father migrated to Illinois, where he purchased land in Stephenson county and lived by farming the same until 1870. At this juncture Mr. Brown abandoned the paternal homestead and removed to Republic county, Kansas, but after a residence there of two years located in Franklin county, Nebraska. He lived in this county for twelve years and then made the final migration, as the result of which he became a permanent resident of South Dakota. When Mr. Brown settled in Spink county in 1884. the population was still sparse and the country undeveloped, but condi- tions speedily changed for the better as emigrants continued to pour in from all parts of the world. Until 1886 his occupation had been that of farm- ing, but about that time he entered the practice of law, which vocation he has continued up to date. In politics he had been a Democrat until the formation of the People's party, but when that movement assumed form in the west Mr. Brown became one of the active participants. In 1807 he settled in Miner county and in 1900 he was nominated and elected on the fusion ticket as candidate for judge of Miner county, and two years later was re-elected on the fusion ticket and is now serving his second term in that office.

On December 24, 1857, while residing in Illi- nois, Mr. Brown was married to Deborah J. Cain, who died about two years later, leaving no issue. February 6, 1861, Mr. Brown married Miss Cath- erine Hawk, and has had five children, of whom those living are Mrs. Jennie Craig, D. F. and C. P. Brown. Since his residence at Howard Mr. Brown has proven himself a useful and in- telligent citizen. He is a student of public ques- tions and especially well informed on the great economic issues which have divided parties so radically since the memorable campaign of 1889.

He was painstaking and industrious as a farmer, equally so in the transaction of legal business and brought to the bench a good stock of com- mon sense as a basis for correct interpretation of the law.

JOSEPH CABALKA, a highly esteemed res- ident of Yankton county, was born in Bohemia in 1858 and is a son of Joseph and Katie (Vava- ruska) Cabalka. The parents were married in their native country and when they arrived in the new world they took up their abode in Chi- cago, where they remained for two and a half years. In 1870 they came to South Dakota, bringing their children with them and here the father secured a homestead claim upon which he lived until called to his final rest. He always carried on agricultural pursuits and in this man- ner provided a comfortable living for his family. He had six children, all of whom are yet resi- dents of South Dakota and are representatives of its agricultural interests. The widowed mother is now living with her son Anton upon his farm in Yankton county and has attained the age of seventy years. She bore the maiden name of Rosa Czwomka.

Joseph Cabalka, whose name introduces this record, was but a young boy when the parents emigrated to the new world and with them he came to Dakota when he was but twelve years of age. He continued to attend the public schools here until he reached the age of fourteen and his educational privileges in the United States sup- plemented the early advantages which he had re- ceived in Bohemia. Through the summer months he assisted his father in the cultivation of the home farm and after putting aside his text-books he devoted all of his time and attention to agri- cultural pursuits. He has made farming his life work and is today a well-known representative of agricultural interests in Yankton county.

In the year 1886 Mr. Cabalka was united in marriage to Miss Rosie Czwonka, who was born in Poland, and by this union they have become the parents of four children: Anton, Charles, Annie and Sophia, all of whom are yet under the

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parental roof. The parents are communicants of the Roman Catholic church. Mr. Cabalka takes no active part in political affairs, preferring to devote his attention to his business pursuits. He has depended upon his own resources from an early age and his labor and energy have formed the foundation upon which he has built his suc- cess. He is now a well-known farmer and his property is constantly increasing in value because of the excellent care which he takes of it.

HERMAN H. GAREY, of Mount Vernon, Davison county, was born in Oswego county, New York, on the 6th of December, 1859, being a son of James W. and Susanna (Griffin) Garey, of whose three children he was the first in order of birth. He received his rudimentary education in the public schools of his native state, and when he was about ten years of age his parents removed to Iowa, where he continued to attend the dis- trict schools until he had attained the age of twenty years. He then learned the art of teleg- raphy, and for three years was employed as tele- graph operator and station agent by the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad, at various points in Iowa. In the autumn of 1888 he came to South Dakota, having previously been employed in a banking institution in the state of Nebraska for about three and one-half years. Upon coming to the present state of South Dakota he located in Mount Vernon, where he established the Davi- son County Bank, of which he became one of the principal stockholders, while he served as cashier of the institution until 1900, when he resigned his executive office, though still retaining his capital- istic interest in the bank. In 1892 Mr. Garey organized the Mount Vernon Milling Company and in 1896 he further manifested his progressive spirit by effecting the organization of the Mount Vernon Co-operative Creamery Company, while he was also actively identified with the organiza- tion of the Mount Vernon Merchandise Com- pany, in all of which concerns he still retains a financial interest, while all have exercised impor- tant functions in connection with the industrial advancement of this section of the state. In 1900

Mr. Garey established himself in the real-estate business, and in the line he has built up an exten- sive and prosperous enterprise, to which he de- votes much of his time and attention. In politics he is a stanch advocate of the principles of the Republican party, but his many business interests are so insistent in their demands that he takes no active part in political affairs. He is a mem- ber of the Masonic fraternity, in which he has attained the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite, while he is also affiliated with the Benevo- lent and Protective Order of Elks.

On the 24th of February, 1889, Mr. Garey was united in marriage to Miss Mary Samuels, of Mount Vernon, South Dakota, she being a daughter of John and Sarah Samuels.

JOSEPH PETERKA, a native son of Yank- ton county, was born here in November, 1879, and is a son of Frank and Mary ( Behensky) Pe- terka, both of whom were natives of Bohemia. In their childhood days they left that country and came to the United States, settling with their respective families in South Dakota, where they were married. Upon his arrival here in 1869, the father secured one hundred and sixty acres of land and subsequently he purchased two more quarter sections so that at the time of his death he was the owner of a very valuable property, comprising four hundred and eighty acres. Es- tablishing his home here in an early day he took an active part in the work of development and improvement and became an influential and lead- ing citizen. He served as school director for many years and the cause of education found in bim a warm friend. His political support was given the Democratic party and he kept well in- formed on the questions and issues of the day. His widow is still living on the old homestead and is now fifty-two years of age. Since her hus- band's death she has purchased four hundred acres of rich and arable land and her property holdings now aggregate seven hundred and twenty acres, the entire farm being utilized in the work of carrying on agricultural interests. Much of the land is cultivated and large portions are

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used for pasturage, for stock raising is carried on extensively on this place. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Peterka were born nine children, of whom one sister is now deceased. The others are Rudolph, John, Frank, Joseph, Mary, Charles, Rosy, Emmil and James. All are now living in this state with the exception of Frank, who has gone to Colorado for the benefit of his health. Rudolph and John are merchants in Mica, where they are carrying on general mercantile pursuits.

Joseph Peterka was educated in the public schools of this county, continuing his studies until he attained his majority and gaining a broad and comprehensive knowledge to which he is continu- ally adding by reading and observation. When he had reached man's estate he resolved to follow as a life work the occupation to which he had been reared and continued to operate his father's old homestead. He was married to Miss Annie Hladke, of Yankton, the wedding being cele- brated on the 22d of April, 1902. Mr. Peterka is a young man of good business ability and readily comprehends intricate business situations and problems. He views things from a practical stand- point and he also possesses the enterprising spirit which has been the dominant factor in the splen- did development of the west.

WILLIAM J. THORNBY, one of the influ- ential pioneers of the state and an honored citi- zen of Deadwood, was born in Greenwich, Wash- ington county, New York, on the 27th of April, 1856, and is a son of James H. and Catherine (Conron) Thornby, the former of whom was born in County Armagh, Ireland, and the latter in the city of Troy, New York. The paternal grandfather of the subject likewise bore the name of James Hanna Thornby, and, like his son and namesake, was born in County Armagh, of the fair Emerald Isle. He was a member of the Inniskillen Dragoons and served under Welling- ton in the battle of Waterloo, while the medal for bravery which was accorded him at that time by the crown is still retained in the possession of his descendants. James Hanna Thornby, the father of the subject of this review, was reared

and educated in his native land, where he re- mained until 1846, when he made a trip to Amer- ica. At the time of the Irish rebellion of 1848 his loyalty to his oppressed fatherland led him to return and tender his services in defense of the righteous cause of his compatriots, and he was accompanied by Hon. A. L. Morrison, now collector of internal revenue in New Mexico. both being imprisoned after the overthrow of the rebellion in which they took part. They were in- carcerated in Carlow jail, near the city of Dublin, where they were held for six months, at the expi- ration of which they received pardons. Mr. Thornby then came again to America, and lo- cated in the city of Troy, New York, where he engaged in the manufacture of boots and shoes, and where he passed the remainder of his life, his death occurring in 1870, while his wife passed away in 1874. Of their five children the subject is the eldest, and all are yet living, there being four sons and one daughter.

Colonel Thornby, as the subject is familiarly known, received his early educational training in the public schools of Troy, and in 1870, when about fifteen years of age, entered the foundry of Fuller & Warren, in that city, where he learned the trade of patternmaking, which he there con- tinued to follow until 1876, when he set forth for the Black Hills, inspired by a love of adventure and a desire to learn what fortune had in store for him. 'He left Troy in November of that year and came through to Cheyenne, Wyoming, arriv- ing on the Ist of December and there waiting to join the first freighting train enroute to his final destination. This train left for the Hills in March, 1877, and was known as Wade's Fast Freight. There were about three hundred men in the party and all were well armed, the ma- jority having come from Montana, California, Missouri and Colorado, and all being attracted by the discoverey of gold in the Black Hills, while it is a noteworthy fact that our subject was the only eastern man in the company. They made the trip in nineteen days and, owing no doubt to the numerical strength, were not molested by the Indians. They arrived in Deadwood in April, and here Colonel Thornby entered the employ of

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A. W. Merrick, proprietor and publisher of the Deadwood Pioneer, with whom he remained two years, having been the pioneer up-gulch reporter for the paper and having full charge of its cir- culation in this district. The Colonel was the only man who succeeded in making the journey between Deadwood and Lead during the memor- able and terrific snow blizzard of March 12-15, 1878, in which so many sacrificed their lives. The snow was five feet deep on the level and he broke the trail and carried through his papers. In May, 1879, he left the employ of the Pioneer and joined Professor Walter P. Jenney on his trip to the southern Black Hills district, where he assisted in the completion of some important geo- logical and topographical work which the Profes- sor had initiated in 1875, at the behest of the government. On the 15th of June, 1879. while out on an incidental expedition with Prof. W. P. Jenney, the subject and his companion located the now famous Hot Springs, which have be- come a popular health and pleasure resort. In that year the Colonel located in Custer, and was elected the first assessor of Custer county, serving two terms, while in 1886 he was further honored by being elected county judge, presiding on the hench for two years, with ability and marked dis- crimination. In 1892 he was elected to the state senate, representing the district comprised of Cus- ter and Fall River counties, and he served in this dignified position during the third general assen- bly of the state legislature in 1893. In the mean- while he had become interested in the develop- ment of the mica-mining industry in this section, and realizing the value of scientific knowledge in regard to the mining and handling of the various precious and industrial metals, hc entered the State School of Mines, at Rapid City, where he . completed the prescribed course and was gradu- ated in 1896. He also took a two-years course in metallurgy, and thus is specially well equipped for all kinds of work. In 1886 he was elected a member of the board of trustees of the School of Mines, serving five years in this capacity and being president of the board during the last year. In 1897 the Colonel established upon his own responsibility an assay office at Ragged

Top, Lawrence county, conducting the same one year, at the expiration of which, in 1898, when the government opened an assay office in Deadwood, he returned to this city to assume the duties of the office of melter in the office, having been appointed to the position at the start and having ever since continued to serve in the capac- ity, while he has gained a high reputation for his careful and accurate work. In 1893 he was one of the judges in the mining department at the World's Columbian Exposition, in Chicago, being the only such representative from any of the gold-mining states of the Northwest, while in 1882 he was appointed commissioner to the min- ing exposition in Denver, taking his specimens by bull train to Cheyenne, a distance of three hun- dred and fifty miles, and thence forward by rail to Denver. In 1890 and 1891 he had charge of the Black Hills mineral exhibits in the corn pal- aces in Sioux City, Iowa. The Colonel was one of the three promoters and organizers of the Black Hills Mining Men's Association in 1901 and in 1897-8 he was president of the Custer County Agricultural, Mining and Stock Raising Fair Association, which, during his regime, held two fairs in Hermosa, that county, the same hav- ing been the most successful ever held in the Black Hills district.

In politics the subject is a stanch advocate of the principles of the Republican party, and takes an active part in the promotion of its cause, while fraternally he is identified with the Masonic or- der, in which he has attained the commandery de- grees, and also those of the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine ; and also with the Modern Woodmen of America and the Wood- men of the World. He is well known throughout the Black Hills and his circle of friends is cir- cumscribed only by that of his acquaintances.

On the 26th of July, 1894, Colonel Thornby was united in marriage to Miss Bertha Youmans, who was born and reared in Winona, Minnesota, and who comes of a stanch old Revolutionary stock. She is a niece of Prof. Edward Living- ston Youmans, the founder of the Popular Sci- ence Monthly and Youman's Chemistry. She is a woman of gracious presence and fine intellectual

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attainments, and was a teacher in the State Nor- mal School at Spearfish, South Dakota, for some time prior to her marriage. Of this union have been born two children, Mary Youmans and Catherine Moore.

HERMAN BISCHOFF, city treasurer of Deadwood, was born in Wittenberg, Prussia, on the 29th of May, 1849, being a son of Herman and Marie (Schuz) Bischoff, who were likewise native of the same place, the former dying when the subject was a child of about one year, while the latter passed away in 1897. Mr. Bischoff received his early educational training in the excellent schools of his fatherland, and thereafter was employed in mercantile houses in the city of Wittenberg, until 1868, when he decided to seek his fortune in America. He arrived in due course of time in the port of New York city and thence came westward to Chicago, where he se- cured a position in a grocery in the Haymarket Square, later made notable by the riot in which a number of brave policemen met their death. He continued to reside in the western metropolis until after the ever memorable fire of 1871, and followed up the course of the Union Pacific Rail- road, which was then in course of construction toward the Pacific coast. He located in Laramie, Wyoming, where he followed various occupa- tions until 1877, the well-known humorist, "Bill" Nye, having at that time been incumbent of the office of justice of the peace in the town. Itt March, 1877. Mr. Bischoff arrived in what is now the attractive city of Deadwood, South Da- kota, the place at the time having been a ragged but stirring mining camp. From this point he made two freighting trips to Cheyenne, and then, in August, 1877, he joined a party of one hun- dred and fifty men who started forth with teams on the great stampede to the Big Horn district of Wyoming, where gold had been dis- covered but a short time previously. The sub- ject took out supplies with which to open a gen- eral merchandise store in the new mining camp, but the alluring tales of the gold to be secured proved to have the most meager foundation, as

has often been the case, and but few of the ad- venturous gold seekers met with appreciable suc- cess. After prospecting in the mountains for three or four months Mr. Bischoff returned to Cheyenne, Wyoming, from which point he en- gaged in freighting to Deadwood, while in 1877 he established his permanent residence in the latter place. In 1879 he liere engaged in the machinery and farming implement business, in company with John Farley, the firm being pioneers in this line of enterprise. Their establishment was de- stroyed in the great fire which practically wiped out the town in 1879, but they resumed business and successfully continued the same until 1883, when disaster again overtook them, when they lost practically their entire stock in the flood which swept part of the city. This second mis- fortune practically reduced the financial resources of Mr. Bischoff to the lowest ebb, and he thus accepted the position of bookkeeper at the D. & D. smelter, and the Homestake store at Lead City and in 1890 was made deputy county treas- urer, under Kirk G. Phillips, retaining this in- cumbency for a period of four years, at the ex- piration of which, in 1898, he was elected city treasurer, of which office he has ever since re- mained in tenure, by successive re-elections, while on two occasions no opposing candidate was en- tered for the office, and he has been re-elected without opposition for the fourth terni.

Mr. Bischoff has been to a considerable ex- tent engaged in the promoting of mining in- terests in this section, and has recently effected the organization of the Lexington Hill Gold Min- ing Company and the Gold and Copper Mining and Development Company, of which he is secretary, being a stockholder in each and assist- ant secretary of the former. He owns valuable real estate in the city, including his attractive modern residence. In politics he gives an un- qualified allegiance to the Republican party, and fraternally he is identified with Eureka Lodge, No. 13, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of which he is secretary at the time of this writing, and with Deadwood Lodge, No. 51, Ancient Order of United Workmen, and Dakota Lodge, No. 1, Improved Order of Red Men. He is

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also a valued member of the Black Hills Mining Men's Association and the Business Men's Club of Deadwood. He became an active member of the South Deadwood Hose Company, a volunteer fire company. in 1879, and is still a member, being one of the oldest in organization. During his long and faithful service he was foreman four years, secretary for six years, besides other offices, and at present he is the chairman of the board of trustees.

On the 29th of March, 1888, was solem- nized the marriage of Mr. Bischoff to Miss Alice Baker, a native of Missouri and a daughter of John Baker, who was postmaster of Deadwood from 1898 until 1903. Mr. and Mrs. Bischoff have four children, namely : Eugene. Madge, Ivan and Alice.

HENRY C. MUSSMAN, proprietor of the Mussman House, one of the well-equipped and popular hotels of the state, is one of the repre- sentative citizens of Chamberlain and is now a member of the state legislature from his district. He was born in Cook county. Illinois, April 25. 1857, and is a son of William and Sophia ( Heit- zig) Mussman, of whose four children he is the eldest of the three surviving. His sister Sophia is the widow of Frank Parker and resides in Min- neapolis, Minnesota, as does also the younger sister. Mary, who is not married. The father of our subject was born in Hanover, Germany, where he was reared and educated and where he learned the trade of ship carpenter. He followed a seafaring life for many years and visited all the principal ports in the world. About 1848 he located in Cook county, Illinois, where he was engaged in farming until December. 1857. when he removed with his family to Houston county, Minnesota, where he purchased government land and became a pioneer farmer, there continuing to reside about seven years, at the expiration of which he sold his farm and engaged in the hotel business in Brownsville, that county. About eight years later he removed thence to Iowa, lo- cating in the town of Decorah, where he continued in the hotel business until his retirement, in 1890,

when he removed to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he passed the remainder of his life, his death occurring in December. 1899. while his devoted wife passed away in 1860. In early years he was a Democrat, but subsequent to 1875 was a stanch advocate of the principles of the Republi- can party. Both he and his wife were members of the Lutheran church and were folk of sterling character, honored by all who knew them.

The subject of this sketch remained at the parental home until he had attained the age of fourteen years, when he began to depend upon his own resources. For several years he was in the employ of the lumber firm of Knapp. Stout & Company, of St. Louis, Missouri, making his headquarters in La Crosse, Wisconsin, and being engaged principally in rafting logs down the Mississippi river to the headquarters of the com- pany. Later he was employed about three years as traveling salesman and then took up his abode in Iowa, where he was engaged in traveling for a brewing company for three years, at the expi- ration of which, in 1880, he came to Running Water. Dakota, where he became interested in the business of the firm of Chester B. Dyke & Com- pany, wholesalers and distributors of beer over a wide area of country, and also proprietors of the Riverside hotel. A disastrous fire wiped out their business in February, 1881, and shortly aft- erward our subject came to Chamberlain, which was scarcely a year previous a village of a few tents and no permanent buildings, and here he was engaged in the liquor trade until 1888, when he sold out his business. He was thereafter var- iously engaged at different points in the Union for several years. Being a machinist by trade, he worked for a time in Minneapolis, where he had charge of the Lowrey's electric-car shops, while in 1892-3 he assisted in installing the sewerage system in Grand Forks, North Dakota. In 1895 he returned to Chamberlain and assisted in the construction of the pontoon bridge across the Missouri river at this point, and during the sum- mer of the following year he was collector of the bridge, operated on the toll system. In 1897 Mr. Mussman was appointed water commissioner of Chamberlain, in which capacity he served one

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History of South Dakota, Vol. II, Part 69

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