Jouh T. Belk Biography


	This biography appears on pages 642-643 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. I (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	HON. JOHN T. BELK .- Prominent among the leading public and 
successful business men of Codington county, South Dakota, is the well 
known and popular gentleman whose name appears above. John T. Belk, 
legislator, grain buyer and enterprising man of affairs. was born in 
Ottawa, Illinois, August 22, 1860, the son of Henry and Mary (Channel) 
Belk, the father a native of Yorkshire, England, the mother of the 
state of Illinois. Henry Belk was a filemaker by trade and during his 
residence in Ottawa became a public-spirited citizen, having been 
active in the affairs of that city and a man of sterling worth whom all 
within range of his influence respected and esteemed. Of the four 
children constituting the family of Henry and May C. Belk, the subject 
of this sketch was the first born.  

	John T. Belk's childhood and early youth were spent in his native 
state, and after receiving a good practical education in the public 
schools, he began life for himself in a horse-collar factory, to which 
line of work he devoted about four years, becoming familiar with every 
detail of the business the meanwhile. Severing his connection with his 
employer at the end of the fourth year, he accepted a position with the 
Oliver Chilled Plow Works, at South Bend. Indiana, and after spending 
three years in the factory there, he resigned his place and came to 
South Dakota, locating in Codington county and filing on a claim about 
two miles northeast of Henry. for which in due time he received a 
patent from the government. Mr. Belk moved to his place in 1882, and 
since that time has made many substantial improvements on the same, his 
buildings and the general appearance of the farm bespeaking the home of 
a man of progressive ideas, refined tastes and liberal culture. The 
greatest part of his three hundred and twenty acres of land is under a 
high state of cultivation and the entire tract is admirably situated 
for agricultural and live-stock purposes, Lying as it does in one of 
the richest parts of the county, and owing to its close proximity to 
town being easily accessible and increasing in value with each 
recurring year.  

	In 1896 Mr. Belk engaged with the G. W. Van Dusen Company, grain 
buyers of Minneapolis, Minnesota, to look after their large business 
interests in the eastern part of South Dakota and he had charge until 
1904 of an elevator in Henry where he handled every year enormous 
quantities of grain. He managed the large and constantly increasing 
business in an able and satisfactory manner, enjoyed the confidence of 
the wealthy firm with which he was identified and by his courtesy and 
uniformly kind treatment of patrons greatly extended the scope of the 
company's operations.  

	While zealous in the prosecution of his business concerns, Mr. 
Belk has not been unmindful of his duty to the public and, like all 
good citizens he manifests a deep interest in politics, believing that 
in a country where the ballot is free, and the public official a 
servant of the people. everybody should be a politician to the extent 
of seeing that none but good men are elected to office. He early 
espoused the principles of the Republican party and since his twenty-
first year has been a zealous supporter of the same, being at this time 
not only an effective worker and a judicious adviser and organizer, but 
a leader in whom the rank and file of the party repose the utmost 
confidence. In 1893, the year of the memorable prohibition fight, he 
was the Republican nominee for the lower house of the general assembly, 
and after a most animated contest, during which he visited all parts of 
the county and waged a most effective campaign, he not only led his 
competitor by a handsome majority, but also ran ahead of nearly every 
other candidate on his ticket. Mr. Belk entered the legislature with 
the good wishes of his constituents, regardless of 
party, and made a creditable record as a law maker, having served on a 
number of important committees, besides taking an active part in the 
general deliberations of the body upon the floor. The year previous to 
his election he served as clerk of the judiciary committee in the state 
senate and his experience in that capacity tended in no small degree to 
prepare him for his subsequent course in the lower house as the 
people's representative from the county of Codington.  

	Mr. Belk is an honored member of the Pythian fraternity and at 
the present time holds the position of installing officer or deputy 
grand chancellor of the lodge at Henry. He is also identified with the 
Ancient Order of United Workmen, and has passed all the chairs in the 
local lodge to which he belongs, besides representing it at different 
times in the grand lodge of the state.  

	The married life of Mr. Belk dates from 1893, in which year he 
chose a companion and helpmate in the person of Miss Jennie Hazlett, 
daughter of George and Jane (Whitaker) Hazlett of Iowa, the issue being 
three children, Vernon, Vida M. and Cora.