History of South Dakota, Vol. II, Part 91

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

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and eventually became a well-informed man. Having decided on medicine as his life's vocation, he entered the Missouri Medical College at St. Louis, and after a very studious session, marked by close application on his part, he was gradu- ated as a Doctor of Medicine with the class of 1882. He had long regarded the Dakotas as an inviting field for ambitious young men, and im- mediately after obtaining his professional di- ploma he turned his face toward the prairies of the upper Missouri. The prospect at Howard was not especially inviting when the young doctor arrived, as the present thriving seat of justice was as yet a straggling hamlet and the population of Miner county was not such as to unduly swell the census. Dr. Noble, however, had confidence in the growth of this section and therefore cast his bread upon the waters with full assurance that after many days it would re- turn to him. His "shingle" was hung out with the brave assurance that characterizes the true- born pioneer and he set to work with a will to make business come. Industry and determina- tion seldom fail of their effects, and it was not long until Dr. Noble was able to put up a house to live in, this building, by the way, being the second that graced the streets of Howard. He grew in favor as the town grew in size and in due time was elected to preside over the destinies of Howard as its mayor. He gave such satisfac- tion by his first term that he was honored with a re-election, and, in addition to the mayoralty, he has held many minor offices. For ten years past he has been health officer of Miner county and in this position has succeeded in bringing about some needed reforms. The Doctor's stand- ing, socially, professionally and fraternally, can not be better emphasized than by the state- ment that he is a member of the Episcopal church, of the Masonic fraternity and of the State Medical Association.

In 1880, Dr. Noble was married to Miss Carrie Hill, who died in September, 1891, leav- ing two children: Roy B. and Albert. In Sep- tember, 1802. the Doctor was united in matri- mony with Miss Jennie. O. Strong, by whom there has been no issue. In politics, Dr. Noble is

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an earnest advocate of the principles and policies of the Republican party and may usually be found well to the front among the party workers when a campaign is on. He is public-spirited as well as patriotic, and takes a just pride in the rapid strides made by South Dakota during the last decade in the race for supremacy among the great states of the northwest.

EUGENE HUNTINGTON .- It is signally consistent that in a contemporary way shall be perpetuated the records of those who have aided in the development of a splendid civilization in the great northwest, for in the future years this data can not but prove of inestimable historic value. The subject of this sketch is to be noted as one of the early pioneers of the present state of South Dakota and as one who has done his part in advancing its material and civic progress. He has served in various positions of public trust, under both the territorial and state regimes, and is at the time of this writing incumbent of the office of deputy collector of internal revenue for the north half of the state, retaining his residence in Webster, Day county.

The name borne by the subject is one which has long been identified with the annals of American history. The original progenitor in the new world was Simon Huntington. who emi- grated from Norwich, England, in 1633, but who died on the voyage, his family settling in Rox- bury, Massachusetts. His son Christopher was one of the founders of Norwich, Connecticut, being one of the twelve patentees of that place and one of its prominent and influential citizens. The subject is of the eighth generation in de- scent from Simon Huntington, the head of the original family in America.

Eugene Huntington was born in Norwich, Connecticut, on the 18th of April, 1844, being a son of Horatio and Julia (Horton) Huntington. His parents removed to New Jersey when he was a child, later to the state of New York, and in 1856 became pioneer settlers in Mitchell county, Iowa, where they passed the remainder of their lives. The father there gave his attention to agri-

cultural pursuits and became a prosperous and highly honored citizen of the state. The subject of this review received a common-school education, having been a lad of about twelve years at the time of the family removal to Iowa, so that he has had his full quota of experience in connec- tion with pioneer life. In 1861, shortly after the outbreak of the war of the Rebellion, he enlisted as a private in the Fourth Iowa Volunteer Cav- alry, with which he served until the expiration of his term, in 1863, when he re-enlisted as a mem- ber of the same regiment and remained in active service therewith until the close of the great in- ternecine conflict through which was perpetuated the integrity of the Union. He recived his honor- able discharge, as sergeant of his company, in August, 1865, and then returned to his home in Iowa. In 1867-8 Mr. Huntington was em- ployed in the engineering department of the Union Pacific Railroad, and in 1869 held the position of construction engineer on the Illinois Central Railroad, while in 1872 he was similarly engaged in connection with the construction of the Iowa Pacific Railroad, which is now a por- tion of the system of the Chicago & Great West- ern Railroad.

In 1878 Mr. Huntington came to South Da- kota, locating in Flandrean, Moody county, where he established himself in the real-estate and loan business, being one of the pioneers in the line in the state, which was then a portion of the great undivided territory of Dakota. In 1883 he removed to Webster, Day county, where he has since maintained his home, and where he con- tinted in the same line of enterprise for a num- ber of years, doing much to secure to this section a desirable class of settlers and also to further the upbuilding and advancement of the town.

In politics Mr. Huntington has ever given an unqualified allegiance to the Republican party, in whose canse he has been an active and efficient worker. He cast his first presidential vote for General Ulysses S. Grant, and has ever since been an uncompromising advocate of the princi- ples of the "grand old party." In 1884-5 he was a member of the legislature of Dakota territory, and introduced the bill creating Marshall county,

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said bill being duly enacted. In 1888 he was ap- passage the vessel was wrecked and he barely escaped with his life, losing all but the under- clothing which he wore at the time of the ac- cident. This misfortune placed him again at pointed adjutant general by Governor Mellette, and held that office during the term of that hon- ored and able chief executive of the state of 1 South Dakota. He was the first president of the | the foot of the ladder, but with invincible cour- board of trustees of Webster after its incorpora- tion as a village, and as an official and a private citizen he has ever shown a deep and loyal in- terest in all that pertains to the welfare of his home town, county and state. In 1899 he was ap- pointed to his present office of deputy collector of internal revenue, and its duties demand practi- cally his undivided attention. In a fraternal way Mr. Huntington is identified with the Grand Army of the Republic, has attained the thirty- third and highest degree in Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite Masonry, and is also affiliated with the Ancient Order of United Workmen. age and determination he set forth to retrieve his fortunes. When about twenty-four years of age he bade adieu to the fair land of his nativity and came to America. He located in the city of Chi- cago, where he was employed about one year by a street-car company, and he then came to the territory of Dakota and became one of the pio- neers of the little frontier village of Pierre, the present attractive capital city of the great state with which his fortunes were linked until his death. In Pierre he established himself in the produce business, and thus laid the foundation for the great business enterprise of which he was On the 29th of December, 1867, Mr. Hunt- ington was united in marriage to Miss Artemicia Button, who was born in the state of New York. and who was a resident of Iowa at the time of their marriage. They have four children, namely : Marcia, Richard, Grace and Gertrude. at the head when called from the scene of life's activities. He also took up a claim of govern- ment land in that locality and in due time per- fected his title thereto. He continued in busi- ness in Pierre for a number of years, and simul- taneously maintained a number of branch houses throughout the state. For nearly two years he resided in Deadwood, where he became interested BERNARD C. McCROSSAN .- It is emi- nently consonant that in this history should be entered a memoir to Mr. McCrossan, who was one of the sterling pioneers of the state, being prominently concerned in its industrial, commer- cial and civic development and progress and hav- ing been one of the leading business men of the city of Sioux Falls at the time of his death. in mining ventures, and he then located in Sun- dance, the capital of Cook county, Wyoming, where he was successfully engaged in business until 1887, when he returned to South Dakota and located in Sioux Falls, where he engaged in the wholesale fruit business, which he conducted under his own name until October, 1898, when the business was incorporated under the title of Bernard Carland McCrossan was born in Straband, Ireland, on the 15th of June, 1846, and was a scion of sturdy and loyal old Irish stock. He was reared and educated in the Emerald Isle and early gave evidence of that alert mentality, good judgment and indefatigable energy which later played so important a part in securing to him independence and prosperity. He became identified with the cattle business in his native land and had his entire financial resources in- vested in this line. He had loaded his cattle on a vessel for the purpose of transporting the stock to the markets in England, and on the the B. C. McCrossan Fruit Company, with a capital stock of one hundred thousand dollars. He became president and principal stockholder of the company and under his able and energetic executive control the business continued to in- crease in scope and importance, becoming the leading enterprise of the sort in the state and controlling a trade which was of wide ramifica- tions. The business is still conducted under the same title, his widow retaining her interest in the same, while it is being successfully carried on under the general management of Henry M. Jones, who had previously been a stockholder and

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able coadjutor of the founder of the business, while he is a brother of Mrs. McCrossan. He was summoned to the life eternal on the 28th of October, 1903, and in his death the city lost one of its honored business men and loyal citizens, while to those nearest and dearest to him the loss is one which can never be replaced. Mr. Mc- Crossan was reared in the faith of the Catholic church and received his education in a Christian Brothers' school in Ireland, while he ever clung to the faith in sincerity and consistency of life, having been a communicant of St. Michael's church in Sioux Falls at the time when he was called to his reward, his widow likewise being a communicant of this church. He was affiliated with the Catholic Order of Foresters and his political support was given to the Democracy, though he never sought office or was active in political affairs.

On the 26th of November, 1886, Mr. Me- Crossan was united in marriage to Miss Linnie B. Jones, who was at the time a resident of Spearfish, South Dakota. She was born in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and is a daughter of Wil- liam and Ellen (Keliher) Jones, who were num- bered among the pioneers of South Dakota. The father died in 1884. while the mother now re- sides with her daughter in Sioux Falls. Mrs. McCrossan had no children. She still resides in the attractive home in Sioux Falls and is sur- rounded by a circle of devoted friends, being actively interested in church work and in social affairs also until the period of bereavement through which she is now passing.

ALEXANDER C. JOHNSON, a native of Pennsylvania, was educated at Allegheny Col- lege, Meadville. afterwards taking a commercial course and serving acceptably as a teller in a bank. Then, graduating with high honors in the law, he came to South Dakota to engage in the practice of his profession, but circumstances threw him into the grain trade, and for fifteen years he had the supervision of the line elevators upon the Northwestern system in South Dakota and western Minnesota, and became a recognized

authority upon all matters pertaining to grain growing and marketing. In 1898 he was taken into the employment of the Northwestern Rail- way as general agent in Dakota, and a year or so later was made general agent for the Northwest- ern lines in Minnesota and South Dakota. For many years Mr. Johnson's residence was at Wa- tertown, where he was a leader in all enterprises demanding public-spirited action, and he was also active in Republican polities and has for twenty years been regarded as one of the party's safest counsellors. He was a delegate to the national convention of 1802 and a member of the com- mittee to notify the President of his nomination. Recently his business relations have compelled him to maintain his residence in Winona, Minne- sota, but his interest in South Dakota matters is unabated and he still regards himself as a South Dakotan. He has a splendid home and his home life is ideal. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson have three children, just arriving at maturity, two daugh- ters, Misses Evelyn and Alta, and Carl.

PETER J. HEGEMAN, of Brookings, is a native of the Empire state of the Union, having been born in Gloversville. Fulton county, New York, on the roth of May, 1849, and being a son of Peter J. and Catherine ( Allen) Hegeman. In the public schools of Gloversville, New York, he received his early educational discipline. When eleven years of age he began work, and the major portion of his stipend he gave to his mother, re- serving only sufficient for the absolute necessi- ties of life. Later he accompanied his parents on their removal to Wisconsin, in which locality he remained until 1877, when he came to South Dakota as a pioneer, taking up a homestead claim near Lake Hendricks, Brookings county, and proving up on the same. He improved the farm and brought the same under effective cultivation, being there engaged in general farming. Sub- sequently Mr. Hegeman removed to the village of Clark Lake, where he erected a commodious warehouse and engaged in the buying of grain and the handling of flour, feed, etc. He contin- ued in business at Clark Lake for some time and

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then removed to White, where he was engaged in the same line of enterprise for some time, after which he again resided on his farm, but later returned to White and resumed operations in the manufacturing of gloves and mittens. In 1894 he removed his business to Brookings, and here he has built up a large and prosperous en- terprise, controlling an excellent business throughout this section of the state.

JOHN HEREFORD KING, who is en- gaged in the real-estate, loan and insurance busi- ness in the city of Huron, Beadle county, and who is a distinguished member of the legal pro- fession, is distinctively a western man and im- bued with its self-reliant and progressive spirit. He was born at Salem, Henry county, Iowa, on the 3d of October, 1845, and is a representative of one of the sterling pioneer families of that state. He is a son of Samuel and Content (Ver- ion) King, both of whom were birthright mem- bers of that noble organization, the Society of Friends, to whose faith they adhered throughout life, the father being a native of Pennsylvania and the mother of Georgia. They removed, with their parents, to Ohio about 1815, and after their marriage removed to Iowa in 1844, settling in Henry county, at Salem, and later moving to Ce- dar county, Iowa, where the father entered the land whereon West Branch now stands. The sub- ject was reared on the old homestead farm, early beginning to assist in its work, while he also learned the trade of broom making under the di- rection of his father. His early educational advan- tages were such as were afforded in the common schools of the locality, and was supplemented by a three-months course in an academy conducted by Joel Beans, at West Branch, that state. He left school at the age of eighteen years and con- tintted to work on the home farm until his mar- riage, at the age of twenty-one. He then, in 1866, located on a tract of land in Hardin county, Iowa, and engaged in farming on his own re- sponsibility, breaking the greater portion of the ground himself and fencing the property, which was virgin prairie at the time when it came into

his possession. In the meanwhile he was em- ployed as teacher in an adjoining district school for three winter terms. In the spring of 1869 he began the careful study of law at his home, and completed his technical reading under the direction of an able preceptor, Hon. H. L. Huff, of Eldora, Iowa, being admitted to the bar of Iowa in the winter of 1870, and located in El- dora, the county seat of Hardin county, where he initiated the active practice of his profession, and two years later he removed to Hampton, Franklin county, where he rapidly gained pres- tige in his profession, building up a large and lu- crative legal business and being one of the lead- ing lawyers of that section for many years. In 1877 he was elected to represent his district in the state legislature, said district comprising the counties of Franklin and Cerro Gordo, and he was chosen as his own successor in 1879, receiving large and gratifying majorities on both occasions. He took a very prominent part in the legislative proceedings and held the important position of chairman of the house committee on railroads during the eight- eenth general assembly. At the time of the Civil war he was most desirous of enlisting in defense of the Union, but his parents, being of the Quaker faith and thus opposed to warfare by principle and training, refused to permit him to become a volunteer. In July, 1880, he came to South Dakota and in the fall of that year laid out Cham- berlain and became president of the town-site company, and soon removed there with his fam- ily. He was appointed postmaster in 1882 and became editor of the Chamberlain Register and actively engaged in the many enterprises calcu- lated to build up a town. Like many others in South Dakota, he lost his all in the hard times of the later 'eighties, but stuck to the state and with keen foresight later saw the great develop- ment that might come, and he believed would come, to this great artesian section of Central South Dakota. . After a painstaking search he secured help from Dubuque capitalists and pur- chased a very large quantity of land, commencing in the latter part of 1899, in Beadle, Spink, Hand, Hyde. Hughes and Sully counties, fully

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eighty thousand acres, and nearly five years ago removed to Huron and commenced pushing and advocating the digging of artesian wells, and planting of trees, and bringing new settlers into the country, loaning money to help farmers and others who wished to build and buy more land. He improved a large number of farms, building good houses and barns, and infused new life and confidence in central South Dakota and built up a great business at Huron, in lands, loans and in- surance.

In politics Mr. King has ever been an ardent Republican and has been a vigorous and effective worker in its cause. He made an uncompro- mising stand against the free-silver heresy in 1896, and in the presidential campaign of that year made a large number of strong speeches in advocacy of the single gold standard, the now established financial policy of his party. Frater- nally he is affiliated with the Masons and the Be- nevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He was reared in the faith of the society of Friends, of which he is a birthright member, but both he and his wife now hold membership in the Congrega- tional church.

On the 20th of September, 1866, was solem- nized the marriage of Mr. King to Miss Permelia A. Andrews, who was born in Hamilton county, Indiana, being a daughter of William E. and Mary E. Andrews, who were early settlers in Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. King have four children, namely : Guneath D., now Mrs. Gilbert E. Roe, of New York city ; Laona M., now Mrs. Walter Montgomery, of Chamberlain, South Dakota; Lorena C., a graduate of Chicago University, now at home in Huron, and Grace E .. now Mrs. Fred J. Hutchins, of Chicago, all of whom share their father's loyalty in the belief in South Da- kota's future greatness.

GEORGE GROVER, one of the representa- tive citizens and prominent merchants of Hart- ford. Minnehaha county, is a native of the state of Michigan, having been born on a farm in Pu- laski township, Jackson county, on the 3d of June, 1859, and being a son of Allen W. and Jane E.

(Phipps) Grover, natives of New York state. The father was one of the representative farmers of that county and a man of prominence in his section. He died in 1902, while the mother is still living at the old homestead. The subject was reared to the sturdy and invigorating disci- pline of the homestead farm and was afforded ex- cellent educational advantages. After completing the curriculum of the public schools he was ma- triculated in the Michigan State Agricultural College, at Lansing, where he completed the pre- scribed four-years course and was graduated as a member of the class of 1881, receiving the degree of Bachelor of Science. After leaving college Mr. Grover was for two years a success- ful teacher in the public schools of his native county and he then, in 1882, purchased the Con- cord Enterprise, at Concord, that county, con- tinuing as editor and publisher of the same for two years, after which he was there engaged in the general merchandise business until 1889, when he removed to Janesville. Wisconsin, where he learned the art of telegraphy, at which he was there employed for some time, as was he later in Hamilton, Minnesota. He was thus employed in the service of the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneap- olis & Omaha Railroad for nearly a decade, in Minnesota and South Dakota, having been sta- tion agent and operator at Hartford, this state, from 1891 until 1898. He thereafter passed a year in looking for an eligible location in the southern states, but became convinced that South Dakota offered superior attractions, and in 1899 he returned to Hartford, where he entered into partnership with Herman C. Robsahm, under the firm name of Robsalım & Grover, and engaged in the general merchandise business, with which enterprise he has since been successfully identi- fied, having purchased the interests of his part- ner on the Ist of May, 1903, and being now the sole proprietor of the business, which is one of the most important of the sort in this section, his store heing well stocked in its various depart- ments and controlling a trade which extends throughout the wide radius of country normally tributary to Hartford. Mr. Grover has ever be- lieved in the principles of the Democratic party

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as exemplified in the teachings of Jefferson and Jackson, but the heretical tendencies in the party ranks in later years have caused him to withdraw his allegiance and he is now an out-and-out sup- porter of the policies of President Roosevelt. Fraternally he is identified with Hartford Lodge, U. D., Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, at Hartford; and Sioux Falls Lodge, No. 262, Be- nevolent and Protective Order of Elks, at Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

On the 4th of August, 1891, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Grover to Miss Hattie B. Smith, daughter of Isaac F. and Mary A. (Earl) Smith, of Jackson county, Michigan, and of this union have been born three children : Allen S., who was born on the 16th of September, 1894: Raymond, who was born on the 21st of July, 1899; and Theodore, who was born on the 28th day of October, 1903.

WILLIAM SCHOOF, one of the well- known and popular citizens of Gettysburg, Pot- ter county, has had an eventful career, and is a man of broad experience. He has the distinction of being able to speak in both the high and low Dutch. Norwegian and the Danish languages, besides the English.

Mr. Schoof is a native of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, where he was born on the 22d of Sep- tember. 1857. being a son of Henry and Amelia (Dursen) Schoof. His father was a successful farmer, owning about three hundred acres of land in the province mentioned and being a man of prominence and influence in his community. He served in an office corresponding to the Amer- ican justice of the peace for many years, and be- ing an income tax payer was eligible for and elected to a number of more important offices than the one noted. In his family were seven children, of whom all are living at the present time, while three of the number are residents of the United States.

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History of South Dakota, Vol. II, Part 91

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