HARTFORD
TOWNSHIP
(102-51)
The
boundary lines of this township were surveyed by Wm. J. Neeley in August, 1859,
and the subdivisions were made by H.T. Austin in June, 1867, and according to
the government survey contains 22,957.32 acres of land. It is well watered by the Skunk creek and its tributaries.
Except during a series of dry seasons there are two ponds of water about
two miles from the village of Hartford, one in a northwesterly and the other in
a southwesterly direction. Samuel
Huckins, J. Westley Warner, and F.E. Van DeMark were among the earliest
settlers, but in 1878, quite a large number of people took up land in this
township, and it was rapidly settled. In
1879 the Worthington & Sioux Falls railroad was built west from Sioux Falls
to Salem, and a station was established at Hartford on the southwest quarter of
section 22. This company filed a
plat of eight blocks at this point June 29, 1881, and since then several
additions have been made. The
settlement about the station soon took the form of a village, and it became
quite a business center. A post
office was established, and A.F. Oaks was postmaster the first four years, when
he was succeeded by John Mundt. Stores,
hotels, grain warehouses, and all kinds of business usually engaged in villages
of this kind rapidly appeared. John
Mundt, in 1892, built an elevator with a capacity of 35,000 bushels.
The same year the Hartford Separator and Creamery company was
incorporated and about $7,500 of capital stock taken, a creamery built, and
business commenced in the fall of 1892. In
1893 this company paid its patrons for milk $8,585,47, and received for butter
sold $11,398.34, averaging about 22 cents per pound.
This creamery is still doing business.
The first school house which is now located on the northeast quarter of
section 24. In June, 1892, E.C.
Kibbe commenced the publication of a weekly newspaper called the Plain Talker.
In 1898, George W. Bagley published the South Dakota Weekly Vindicator
for a short time at this place. In
1899 a large, commodious school house was erected which does great credit to the
people of Hartford.
HARTFORD
TOWNSHIP BOARD
On
the 3d day of January, 1881, the first meeting of the board was held.
The first supervisors were, Samuel Huckins chairman, W.J. Warner and Ira
Tilden; clerk, C.A. Soderberg.
1882. Supervisors,
Samuel Huckins chairman, Frank E. Van DeMark, C.W. Knodt; clerk, A.F. Oaks;
treasurer, John Mundt; assessor, C.A. Norton, who was paid $24 for assessing the
township.
1883. The officer of 1882
were re-elected.
1884. Supervisors, Samuel
Huckins chairman, F.E. Van DeMerk, C.W. Knodt; clerk, A.F. Oaks; treasurer, John
Mundt; assessor, P.F. Sherman; justices, Samuel Huckins, C.A. Soderberg;
constable, Peter Chelius. A.B.
Jones was appointed justice in place of C.A. Soderberg who did not qualify.
1885. Supervisors,
C.W. Knodt chairman, Samuel Huckins, Peter Chelius; clerk, A.F. Oaks; treasurer,
John Mundt; assessor, P.F. Sherman; justices, E.I. Oaks and F.E. Van DeMark;
constables, M. Caldwell, H.S.Gerkin.
1886. Supervisors, C.W. Knodt
chairman, Thomas Rickard, C.A. Norton; clerk, Charles Feyder; assessor, P.F.
Sherman.
1887. Supervisors, Thomas
Rickard chairman, M.K. Thrall, Samuel Huckins; clerk, Charles Feyder; treasurer,
H.D. Oaks; assessor, C.WS. Knodt; justices, E.I. Oaks, C.W. Wehler; constables,
M.H. Caldwell, Peter Chelius.
1888. Supervisors, Thomas
Rickard chairman, M.K. Thrall, Samuel Huckins; clerk, Charles Feyder; treasurer,
H.D. Oaks; assessor, C.W. Knodt. At
the annual election 64 votes were cast.
1889. Supervisors, M.H.
Caldwell chairman, F.E. Van DeMark, Samuel Huckins; clerk, Charles Feyder;
treasurer, H.D. Oaks; assessor, C.W. Knodt; justices, E. I. Oaks and E.T.
Dillabough; constables, K.C. Cook, Peter Menth.
At the annual election 101 votes were cast.
1890. Supervisors, F.E. Van
DeMark chairman, M.H. Caldwell, C.W. Knodt; clerk, Charles Feyder; treasurer,
H.D. Oaks; assessor, John Lantrey.
1891. Supervisors, Samuel
Huckins chairman, C.W. Knodt, G.F. Chisholm; clerk, Charles Feyder; treasurer,
H.D. Oaks; assessor, John Lantrey; justices, E.I. Oaks, N.N. Haugen; constables,
Peter Menth, Edward Linebeck.
1892. Supervisors, M.H.
Caldwell chairman, F.E. Van DeMark, Frank Gillen; clerk, Charles Harm;
treasurer, H.D. Oaks; assessor, Mat Becker; constable, J.G. Tyler.
March 29, N.N. Haugen was appointed clerk, Charles Harm not qualifying.
1893. Supervisors, M.H.
Caldwell chairman, John Hoefert, F.E. Van DeMark; clerk, Nels Haugen; treasurer,
H.D. Oaks; assessor, B.P. Parker; justices, Nels Haugen, E.I. Oaks; constables,
E. Linebeck, N.F. Nelson. It was
voted that a compensation of $2 per day be paid to the town officers for
official services. Quite a number
of meetings were held by the board during this year in reference to bridges,
nuisances and quarantines. On
August 14, John G. Tyler was appointed justice to fill the vacancy occasioned by
the resignation of Nels Haugen.
1894. Supervisors, M.H.
Caldwell chairman; John Hoefert, F.E. Van DeMark; clerk, Nels Haugen; treasurer,
H.D. Oaks; assessor, L.P. Bayard; justice, John G. Tyler.
At a special town meeting May 19, it was ordered that $900 be raised by
tax for town purposes.
1895. Supervisors, C.A. Norton
chairman, Carl Hoefert, S.P. Bowers; clerk, Nels Haugen; treasurer, H.D. Oaks;
assessor, L.P. Bayard.
1896. Supervisors, S.P Bowers
chairman, C.A. Norton, Carl Hoefert; clerk, Nels Haugen; treasurer, H.D. Oaks;
assessor, L.P. Bayard.
1897. Supervisors, C.A.
Norton chairman, C.J. Mahl, Joe Scott; clerk, M.H. Caldwell; treasurer, Nis Byg;
assessor, J.M. Bennett.
1898. Supervisors, C.J.
Mahl chairman, Joe Scott, Harvey Van Vleet; clerk, C.A. Soderberg; treasurer,
Nis Byg; assessor, E.I. Oaks.
1899. Supervisors, John
Wilder chairman, Joe Scott, John Hoefert; clerk, C.A. Soderberg; treasurer, Nis
Byg; assessor, Charles Mahl; justices, J.G. Tyler, Myron H. Caldwell;
constables, Nels Nelson, L.E. Newton.
TOWN
OF HARTFORD
In July, 1896, a petition was presented by the citizens of the
village of Hartford to the county commissioners praying that an election be
ordered to determine the question of the incorporation of certain territory as
the Town of Hartford. All the
preliminary proceedings having been complied with as required by law, the order
was made and an election held on the 1st day of August, 1896.
The territory comprised the southwest quarter and the south half of the
south half of the northwest quarter of section 22 in Hartford township.
Having become incorporated the town was divided into three districts.
An election of officers was held on the 10th day of September,
1896, and the following persons were elected:
Trustees, Charles Feyder president, George Grover, D.B. Oaks; clerk, Nels
Haugen; treasurer, H.D. Oaks; assessor, Mat Becker; justice, B. P. Parker.
September 24, eight ordinances were passed.
December 21, B.P. Parker resigned as justice and L.P. Bayard was
appointed to fill vacancy.
1897. Trustees, John Mundt
president, Geo. Grover, C.W. Knodt; clerk, Nels Haugen; treasurer, H.D. Oaks;
assessor and justice, J.V. Jessen. April
29, the board fixed the amount to be paid for license to sell intoxicating
liquors in the town at $600. June
29, seven street lamps were purchased. September
7, Geo. Grover’s resignation as trustee was accepted.
October 5, John McGowan was appointed trustee to fill vacancy.
1898. Trustees, Henry Schaper
president, C.W. Knodt, Charles Feyder; clerk, Nels Haugen; treasurer, H.D. Oaks;
assessor and justice, J.V. Jessen.
1899. Trustees, C.W. Knodt
president, John Mundt, H.D. Oaks; clerk, Nels Haugen; treasurer, J.M. Bennett;
justice, E.I. Oaks.
HARTFORD METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH—There was preaching by
Methodist ministers in Hartford and Benton at quite an early date.
The Rev. G.D. Hook, who was pastor of the Methodist church at Sioux Falls
in 1874, preached occasionally in sod houses in Benton, Hartford and Wayne.
Mrs. J.G. Tyler of Hartford in a recent interview said that she
remembered of attending a Sunday school in Daniel Leao’s sod house in 1876.
and the same year heard the Rev. Ben B. Scott, a Methodist minister, preach in
the house of Daniel Alguire. The
first Sunday school in Hartford was called the Union Sunday school, but it
finally became known as the Methodist Sunday school.
In 1882, a church organization was perfected, and from that time until
1892, services were held in the school house.
In 1890, the Rev. W.O. Redfield was placed in charge, and was the first
pastor who resided in Hartford. He
remained five years, and was well liked by his parishioners.
In 1892, the society erected in the village of Hartford a commodious
church building, with a seating capacity of about two hundred.
A comfortable parsonage had been built previous to this time and the
entire church property is valued at $3,000.
The membership at the time the new church building was occupied was
thirty-four. In October, 1895, the
Rev. John Kay was appointed pastor, and he remained in charge until October,
1898, when the Rev. A. Jamieson succeeded him.
The Sunday school now numbers about one hundred and forty scholars.
In connection with the church work there is a Ladies’ Aid society with
about forty members, and it has proved of material aid in a financial way.
The W.C.T.U. has also a strong organization among the members of this
church. F.E. Van DeMark, I.C.
Kingsbury, D.B. Oaks, J.G. Tyler, and George Smith are the present trustees of
the church.
ST. GEORGE CHURCH OF HARTFORD—St. George Church of the
Roman Catholic denomination was organized at Hartford in 1884.
A very appropriate church building was erected in 1885, and was the first
church building erected in the township. It
cost $1,800, and the society raised the amount with the exception of $100.
It is located about eighty rods southeast of the railroad station.
The Reverends John Hogan, P.O. Connell, Thos. Cahill, J.C. Ahern, Thos.
Durward, Wm. Maher, L. Link, P. Grabig, and J. O’Hora have officiated as
pastors since its organization. There
is a Sunday school and about forty families connected with the congregation.
THE PLAIN TALKER AND THE HARTFORD HERALD.—In June, 1892,
the veteran newspaper man, E.C. Kibbe, came to Hartford, and commenced the
publication of the Plain Talker. It
was published weekly by the same editor until July 7, 1899.
Everyone in this vicinity knew there was such a newspaper as the Plain
Talker from the first to the last of its career.
There was not an issue of the paper but what Mr. Kibbe took occasion to
discuss public questions and public men in his own inimitable way, and sometimes
it would look to a disinterested person as though
his early education had been neglected in reference to the location of
the belt line. All the newspaper
fraternity in the county took occasion to tackled the Plain Talker, and then
wished they had let it alone. It
was a good local paper and loyal to the interests of its subscribers.
In July, 1899, Mr. Kibbe sold the plant to Albion Thorne, of Sioux Falls,
and removed to the State of Washington. Mr.
Thorne at once commenced the publication of the HARTFORD HERALD, its first issue
appearing on the 14th day of July, 1899.
The people of Hartford have reason to be more than pleased with the
Herald, for Mr. Thorne is publishing a good newspaper and is deserving of a
generous patronage.
WOMAN’S CHRISTAIN TEMPERANCE UNION.—This society has an organization
in Hartford which is in a flourishing condition.
Its members are zealous in their work, and their influence upon the
morals of the community is recognized and appreciated by the residents.
HARTFORD LODGE No. 125, I.O.O.F.—This lodge was instituted February 2,
1894. It is a strong lodge for a
town of the size of Hartford. The
present officers are Nels Haugen, noble grand; Frank Gillen, vice grand; John
McGowan, secretary; M.H. Daley, treasurer.
ANCIENT ORDER OF UNITED WORKMEN.—Minnehaha Lodge, No. 105, was
organized several years ago and is a strong, prosperous lodge. It
meets every Saturday evening. C.W.
Knodt is recorder.
IMPERIAL MYSTIC LEGION.—Warwick Castle No.11, is another prosperous
organization of the fraternal order in the town of Hartford.
C.F. Mundt is regent and L.A. Kingsbury secretary and treasurer.
MODERN WOODMEN OF AMERICA.—Hartford Camp No. 3,965, is a fraternal
order which has had an organization at the town of Hartford during the last two
years. N.F. Nelson, V.C., Joseph
Schwartz clerk.
BIOGRAPHICAL
SKETCHES
BOWERS, SAMUEL P., is a native of
Pennsylvania, and was born October 31, 1855.
He reside din Minnesota for some time, and came to this county in March,
1878, where he has since remained. His
homestead comprises the southwest quarter of section 9, in Hartford, and is a
good farm. He has held several
school offices, was chairman of the town board of supervisors in 1896. He is a good neighbor and a respected citizen.
BYG, N., was born in Germany, July 22, 1857.
He emigrated to the United States in 1876, and located in this county in
July of that year. He took up as a
homestead the southeast quarter of section 4, and as a tree claim the northeast
quarter of section 12, in Hartford. He
afterward sold the homestead, and bought other land in sections 7 and 12, and
now has a first-class farm of 480 acres, with fine buildings and improvements.
He has been town treasurer since 1897, is a thrifty, enterprising farmer,
and a good citizen.
C
ALDWELL, CLARENCE C., a son of George Caldwell, was born in Wayne township, this
county, on the 2d day of February, 1877. He
owns a part of the northwest quarter of section 14, in Hartford.
In April 1895 he commenced teaching school, and since then has followed
this vocation and is considered one of the best and most competent teachers in
the county.
CALDWELL, MYRON H., was born in Wisconsin on the 19th day of
December, 1853. He came to
Minnehaha county June 15, 1871, and took up a homestead in section 14, in
Mapleton, and pre-empted the northeast quarter of section 3, in Sioux Falls
township, all of which he sold. He
bought the west half of the southwest quarter of section 19, in Benton, and also
the east half of the southeast quarter of section 24, in Hartford, where he now
resides. He has held several town
offices, has been a member of the town board five years, chairman three years,
and has held school district offices for ten years.
He is a good farmer and a respected citizen.
CALDWELL, WARREN M., may justly be called a pioneer settler of Minnehaha
county, where he settled November 10, 1869, never leaving the state except to
haul freight in the early days. He
was born April 21, 1855, at Baraboo, Sauk, county, Wisconsin.
In 1878 he secured a homestead in section 10, in Hartford, where he
resided until about a year ago when he rented his farm and removed to Minnesota.
COOKE, W.W., was born in Indiana in 1852.
He lived there and in Wisconsin until 1878, when he removed to Dakota and
settled in this county. He filed a
homestead and tree claim in sections 2 and 11, in Hartford, and resided on his
homestead in section 2 until a few years ago, when he rented his farm and went
to Wisconsin. He was the first
auditor of this county, being appointed on the 5th day of April,
1888, and served in that capacity until he was succeeded by J.A. Stanfield in
1891. While residing in the county
he was quite a factor in political matters.
FEYDER, CHARLES, one of the active,
enterprising citizens of Hartford, was born in Wisconsin, March 2, 1850, and
came to Minnehaha county in 1881. He bought a relinquishment to a tree claim in Humboldt, but
sold it, and has been in the hardware trade at Hartford since 1883.
He has been town clerk six years. He
is a successful merchant, a man of positive convictions, and takes a hand in
about everything that comes along affecting town or county affairs.
GERKIN, HENRY S., was born in Connecticut, September 9, 1855. He came to this county from Wisconsin in March, 1879, and
located in the town of Hartford, securing a homestead on the northeast quarter
of section 22, where he still resides. He
subsequently purchased 80 acres of section 23, in the same town.
He has been constable for two years, and is a good citizen.
HANSON, GUSTAF, was born in Sweden, October 2, 1851.
He emigrated and came directly to Dakota and located in this county in
April, 1881. In 1884 he married
Johanna Streiffert, and they reside on their 80-acres farm in the southeast
quarter of section one in Hartford, where they have a neat little home.
Mr. Hanson is a good neighbor and a respected citizen.
HUCKINS, SAMUEL, was born in Canada, of Vermont parentage, on the 12th
day of March, 1832. He was reared
on a farm and educated in the common schools.
In 1847 he came to the United States and located in Illinois where he
married in 1853, and resided for several years, and then removed to Howard
county, Iowa. In 1864 he enlisted
in Company G, 16th Iowa Infantry, and served during the remainder of
the civil war, being mustered out July 19, 1865.
He was in the battle at Nashville, Tennessee, and other less important
engagements, and as the regiment did a great amount of marching he had the
opportunity of seeing a good deal of the South without being to any expense for
transportation. The latter part of
August, 1869, he left Iowa for Dakota, and on the first day of September of that
year he arrived in Sioux Falls. There
were but two families in Sioux Falls at that time and they were occupying the
barracks, which had been abandoned by the soldiers a few months previous.
D.B. Reynolds and family, and some single men arrived at Sioux Falls the
same day. Mr. Huckins says that at
the time they had to pay $1.25 to $1.50 for a pound of tea, 25 to 28 cents for
bacon and 13 to 17 cents for sugar at the Falls.
In the spring of 1870 Mr. Hucking [sic] took up a homestead in sections 1
and 2 in Sioux Falls, and commenced farming, raising grain and stock, in which
he continued until 1876, when becoming discouraged, owing to the multitude of
grasshoppers that visited this section of the country and the limited range he
had for his stock, he went to Hartford and pre-empted a quarter of section 11,
where at that time there was a great amount of hay and a wide range for stock,
and continued farming at this place until in 1889, when, owing to poor health,
he sold his farm, and at this writing resides on a small farm about three miles
north of the village of Hartford. When
the township of Hartford was organized he was elected chairman of the town board
of supervisors, to which position he was re-elected during the three years
succeeding, and again in 1891, having served on the board nine years in all.
Mr. Huckins is not only a pioneer citizen of this county, but is one of
its most reliable citizens, and is universally respected by all who know him.
JOHNSON, ANDERS, was born in Smaland, Sweden, August 19, 1844.
He came to Minnehaha county July 27, 1887, and located on his present
place the northeast quarter of section 1, in the town of Hartford, where he has
a fine farm with substantial buildings, about ten horses and thirty head of
cattle. He also owns eighty acres
of land in section 36, Grand Meadow.
KIBBE, EDGAR C., was born May 4, 1848, at Clayton, Jefferson county, New
York. When five years of age he
removed with his parents to Wisconsin, and five years later they removed to
Fayette county, Iowa, where he attended school and worked on the farm until
1864. At this time he went to St.
Croix county, Wisconsin, where for four years he taught school during the
winters, and worked on a farm the balance of the time.
At the age of twenty years he engaged as a bookkeeper for a manufacturing
company. In 1874 he went to
Prescott, Wisconsin, and bought a newspaper plant, and for one year edited and
published at that place a weekly newspaper called the Plain Dealer.
In 1875 he sold out his newspaper and went to Elroy, Wisconsin, where he
soon after started a weekly newspaper and continued in its management until
January, 1881, when, becoming partially paralyzed, he sold out, and the month
following removed to Bridgewater, McCook county, Dakota.
He there started the Dakota Cricket, the first newspaper published in
McCook county. About the 5th
day of July, 1882, having removed to Montrose, McCook county, he established a
weekly newspaper called the Montrose Avalanche, which he edited and published
for about two years, when he retired form his chosen profession and moved on to
a farm, where he engaged in farming, and in teaching school.
In 1890 he was given control of the Pioneer Register at Salem, South
Dakota, and conducted its editorial columns for a few months during the
political campaign of that year. He
then returned to his farm in Clear Lake, where he remained until June, 1892,
when he established a weekly newspaper at Hartford in this county, which was
called the Plain Talker, and of which he was the editor and proprietor until
July, 1899. Mr. Kibbe is noted for
his independent, fearless editorials upon political matters, and his recent
removal from the state has caused a void in the editorial fraternity that will
be hard to fill.
KINGSBURY, I.C., was born at Monticello, White
county, Indiana, in 1851. He came
to South Dakota in 1882, and engaged in the mercantile business at St. Lawrence,
in Hand county, where he was the first merchant.
In 1886 he located at Hartford, this county, and engaged in banking.
He is also largely interested in real estate transactions, is a
successful business man, and an enterprising and highly respected citizen.
KRUGER, CARL, is a native of Germany, and was born July 7, 1833. After his coming to this country he lived in Clinton county,
Iowa, and in 1881 he removed to Dakota and settled in this county, securing as a
tree claim the southeast quarter of section 33, in the town of Hartford, where
he still resides. He has a good
farm and is a good citizen.
LINEBECK, JOSEPH, was born in Indiana, May 10, 1832.
He lived in Iowa for some time, and came to this county in March, 1883,
where he has since been a well-known resident.
He bought a relinquishment of a tree claim comprising the northwest
quarter of section 34 in Hartford, which he afterwards proved up as a homestead.
He is a good farmer and an energetic citizen.
MAHL, CHRISTIAN F., was born in Germany, July 12, 1860.
In November, 1870, he emigrated to this country with his parents, who
settle din Clayton county, Iowa, and remained there until the spring of 1881,
when they came to this county and located in Wall Lake township.
They secured the southwest quarter of section 25, and the southeast
quarter of section 26. The subject of this sketch lived on the farm until 1890, when
he moved to Hartford village and engaged in business. While a resident of Wall Lake he was assessor four years.
His father, John Mahl, was born in Germany November 11, 1829, and resides
on the southeast quarter of section 26 in Wall Lake, and is an industrious
farmer.
McLEOD, MARTIN, is a native of Canada, and was born in November, 1858.
He came to the United States in 1864, and lived in Michigan and Iowa
until the spring of 1882, when he located in this county.
He took up land in section 8 and 9 in Hartford, and now has a good farm
of 320 acres, with substantial buildings and improvements, and is largely
interested in horses. In the spring
of 1888 he married Nettie O. Lyon. He
is a good farmer and a good citizen.
McLEOD, WALLACE, was born
in the county of Middlesex, Canada, in 1850. He lived in Michigan and Iowa before he settled down in this
county in December, 1892. He took
up the south half of the northeast quarter of section 8 as a tree claim, and
bought the northeast quarter of the same section in the town of Hartford, where
he now lives.
MENTH, PETER, was born in Chicago, Illinois, July 4, 1853.
After having lived in Wisconsin and Minnesota for some time he removed to
Dakota and settled in Wellington township February 6, 1878, taking up as a
homestead the southeast quarter of section 1, when he afterwards sold and
removed to Hartford township, where he purchased a part of the southwest quarter
of section 22, where he now lives and has a good farm.
He has held the office of constable four years.
MUNDT, JOHN, is one of the most enterprising citizens of Hartford. He was born in Denmark August 16, 1853, emigrated to the
United States with his parents in 1862, and resided in Connecticut, Minnesota
and Iowa sixteen years. He came to
Sioux Falls in August, 1878, and engaged in trade with Frank Kunerth for two
years and then removed to Hartford, where he opened a general store and engaged
in the grain and live stock business. After
a few years he took into partnership H.D. Oaks, and carried on the business
under the firm name of John Mundt & Co. until February, 1897, when Mr. Mundt
bought out his partner’s interest. In
1892, the company erected quite a large elevator near the railroad station at
Hartford. In the fall of 1894, Mr.
Mundt was elected treasurer of Minnehaha county, but after two years of service
he concluded that he liked private business better than official duties, and
declined to become a candidate for another term. He owns a large amount of real estate in Minnehaha county,
and it will take a great deal of calamity to reduce Mr. Mundt to indigent
circumstances. He is an
enterprising business man, a good citizen, and has a host of friends.
NORTON, CHARLES A., was born in Hartford county, Connecticut, December 8,
1853. He lived there and in
Wisconsin until he removed to this county in 1878.
He took up a homestead in section 23 and 26 in Hartford, where he still
resides and has a good farm. He has
been chairman of the town board, and assessor two years, and is an active,
enterprising citizen.
OAKS, ELIHUE I., was born in Kane county, Illinois, January 3, 1841,
resided there and in Minnesota until he removed to this county, where he arrived
June 1, 1876. He bought eighty
acres of land in Wayne and made homestead and tree claim filings in sections 27
and 28 in Hartford. Mr. Oaks has
held the office of justice of the peace in Hartford twelve years—long enough
to be called “Judge.” He was a
member of the 1885 constitutional convention, and for a good many years if he
had not put in an appearance as delegate to our county conventions he would have
been missed. Mr. Oaks is a
reliable, upright citizen. He
enlisted October 3, 1861, in the 3d Minnesota, but, owing to sickness, was
discharged after six months service.
OAKS, HERBERT D., was for nearly ten years a member of the firm of John
Mundt & Co. of Hartford. Although
a young man he is one of the oldest residents in the county, having come here
with his father D.W. Oaks in 1871. He
was born in Minnesota July 21, 1858. He
has been town treasurer of Hartford several years, is a man of good business
qualifications and an active citizen.
PEARSON, ALBA, was born in Wisconsin in 1860; was reared on a farm and
educated in the common schools. In
1876 he came to Hartford, in this county, and purchased a farm of 160 acres in
sections 10 and 11, where he has since resided.
In 1891 he married Emma Bodeman, and is now the proud father of three
daughters. He is a good farmer and
a good citizen.
PEARSON, JESSE, was born in Sauk county, Wis., September 25, 1869; moved
with his parents to this county, arriving in Sioux Falls on his eighth birthday.
His father, Stephen Pearson, resided in Hartford until his death in 1890.
The subject of this sketch resides in the village of Hartford, and is
employed in the farm machinery business. He
is a good citizen.
POTT, NICHOLAS, was born in Luxemburg, Germany, October 26, 1860; came
with his parents to the United States in 1868, and lived two years at Waterloo,
and two years at Independence, Iowa; when twenty years of age the subject of
this sketch commenced farming, and followed that pursuit in Iowa until the fall
of 1883, when he removed to Dakota and bought 320 acres of land in sections 3
and 10, in Wellington township, which he still owns, but resides at the village
of Hartford, where he is engaged in business.
SCOTT, JOSEPH, was born at Farley, Dubuque county, Iowa, May 14, 1856.
He came to Minnehaha county, February 1, 1880, and located in the town of
Hartford, taking up a homestead and a tree claim in sections 8 and 17, where he
has since been engaged in farming and has a fine farm.
He is a good farmer and says: “I
have never been sorry that I came to Dakota.
We had a pretty close time for the first few years that we lived here,
but now we are getting along nicely.” He
has been supervisor of the town board since 1897, is a good neighbor and a
highly esteemed citizen.
SODERBERG, CARL ALBERT, was born January 3, 1852, in Sweden.
He was reared on a farm and received his education in the high school at
the city of Falun. When seventeen
years of age he emigrated to the United States and settled in Iowa where he
worked at the carpenter’s trade until June, 1876, when he came to this county.
His first work here was upon the mills at Palisade.
He took up as a homestead the northwest quarter of section 24, in
Hartford, and resided there until January, 1895. The first five years he lived
in a sod house and burnt hay for fuel, but as he became more prosperous he added
comfortable buildings to his farm improvements and has at the present time a
good farm. He has held the office of town clerk for several years, and
when the Farmers’ Alliance came into existence he took an active part in
promoting the interests of the organization.
He was secretary of the County Alliance four years and of the Territorial
Alliance three years. In 1888 he
was nominated by the Republican party for councilman of the fourth legislative
district, comprising Hanson, McCook and Minnehaha counties, and was elected and
served in the last Territorial legislature with great credit to himself and his
constituency. The 1st of
January, 1895, he rented his farm and took up his residence in the city of Sioux
Falls; where he was engaged in the county treasurer’s office for about two
years, when he again went to live on the farm.
Mr. Soderberg is well informed, and has proved himself to be an
industrious, conscientious citizen.
SWENSON, JIM, was born in Sweden, September 24, 1843.
He came to this county in 1882, and secured by pre-emption the northeast
quarter of section 2, in Hartford township, where he now resides and has a good
farm.
SWENSON, L.P., was born in Sweden in 1846.
He lived in Pennsylvania two years and in Wisconsin four years prior to
his coming to this county in 1879, at which time he secured by pre-emption the
northwest quarter of section 1, in Hartford township, where he still resides.
He also owns land in section 2, and has a well improved farm with good
buildings. He is a thrifty,
well-to-do farmer, and a good citizen.
THALL, M.K., was born in Winnebago county, Wisconsin, on the 12th
day of September, 1855. He came to
Minnehaha county in 1879, and located on his present homestead, which comprises
the northwest quarter of section 5, in Hartford township.
He has a well improved farm and is a good citizen.
TYLER, JOHN G., of Hartford, was born on the 6th day of June,
1852, in Green county, Wisconsin; removed with his parents to Iowa in 1854, and
came from there to Sioux Falls in 1878. He
took up as a homestead in Hartford, the northwest quarter of section 12, where
he has since resided. He was
married October 10, 1880, and took his wife immediately to his home—a half
dugout and half sod residence. The
day before the famous October blizzard he put the finishing touches to his
house, and thought he was ready for anything that might come along in the way of
climatic disturbances. It rained a
little during the afternoon, and when he retired at night it was snowing.
But the next morning he found a blizzard of the first magnitude had put
in an appearance and was doing business all about his premises.
His house was on a southern slope, and four rods away he had a stable
with a good pair of horses in it. The
stable was not in sight. This was
Saturday. He had a cow fastened to a picket, but nothing could be seen
of her except one hind foot. She
was in twelve feet of snow, lying at an angle of about forty-five degrees.
That cow was dead. Tyler says she was dead.
He had a pitchfork in his house, and by running it down in the snow he
found his stable, but did not get in until Sunday noon, when, to his great joy,
he found his horses alive. He had a
pig, and in digging out his horses found the pig on the ground outside the
stable door. The pig was alive.
Here is to be seen the difference between the endurance of a cow and a
pig in a blizzard. His house was completely buried out of sight, but beneath
that cold, cold snow, his bride of four days, was comfortable and happy.
In conclusion we will only add, that Mr. Tyler is a good farmer and a
good citizen; has held town offices, and would have been elected to the
legislature in November, 1892, if the Independent party had polled votes enough.
While living in Iowa he attended the district school and took a course at
the Breckenridge Institute, Decorah, Iowa, graduating in 1877; taught school
fourteen terms in Winneshiek county, Iowa, and after coming to Minnehaha county
taught three terms, but has been principally engaged in farming and has a good
farm with substantial buildings and improvements.
VAN DE MARK, FRANK E., one of the pioneer settlers of this county, was
born in Lake county, Illinois, in 1852. He
lived in Iowa for some time, and came to this county in 1872, where he has since
resided. He proved up the southeast
quarter of section 29 in Grand Meadow as a pre-emption, and the southwest
quarter of section 29 in Hartford as a tree claim, but has disposed of both.
He now owns about 640 acres of land in sections 3, 4 and 10 in Hartford,
and in section 28 in Grand Meadow. He
resides on the northeast quarter of section 3 in Hartford.
He is one of the prominent farmers and stock raisers of the county; is an
enterprising, influential citizen, and has held various school and town offices.
In 1898 he received the nomination on the Republican ticket for member of
the house of the stated legislature, but his party did not pull votes enough to
secure the election.
VAN VLEET, HARVEY, was born in Illinois, October 25, 1849. He enlisted in the 130th Illinois Infantry in May,
1864, and served until January, 1865. After
the close of the war he locate din Iowa, and in 1882 removed to this county,
where he has since resided. He
formerly owned the southeast quarter of section 12 in Hartford, but sold it, and
bought the southeast quarter of section 11, in the same town, where he now
resides, and has a very good farm. He has been supervisor of the town board, and is a respected
citizen.
WARNER, WESTLEY J., is a native of Franklin county, Vermont, and was born
June 22, 1844. He lived in
Wisconsin for some time, and came to this county June, 1876.
He took up a homestead and a tree claim in section 23 and 24 in Hartford
township, and resided on his homestead until 1895, when he rented his farm and
went to Kansas City, Missouri. He
was a successful farmer and a good citizen.
WILLIG, GEORGE, is a native of Germany, and was born January 14, 1858.
He emigrated to the United States in the spring of 1883, and has been a
resident of the county since then. He
lived four years in Brandon, and removed to Hartford township in 1893, where he
now resides on his farm, comprising 200 acres in section 2, 3 and 10.
In 1887 he was married to Miss Alida Peters, and they have four boys,
Phillip, Constantine, George and Fred. He
is a good farmer and a good citizen.