Henry Brandon Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1231-1232 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	HENRY BRANDON, one of the successful farmers of Lincoln county, 
was born in Norway, on the 29th of September, 1851, and is a son of 
Peter and Mary Brandon, who emigrated from the fair land of their birth 
to the United States in 1866, at which time the subject was a lad of 
fifteen years, his early education having been thus received in the 
fatherland. The family located in Fayette county, Iowa, where they 
remained two years, at the expiration of which the father came to South 
Dakota and took up a tract of wild government land in what is now Canton 
township, Lincoln county, where he was joined by his family in the 
following year. They came through with a wagon and ox-team, the trip 
consuming three weeks, while in the company's outfit on the journey were 
sixteen wagons. Peter Brandon built a primitive sod house for the 
accommodation of his family, and seats in the dwelling were provided by 
digging down the earth along the sides of the interior to a depth of 
eighteen inches. Later a small log house was built and finally a frame 
dwelling of more pretentious order and signifying the prosperity which 
was attending the efforts of the sturdy pioneers. The father continued 
to reside on the homestead until his death, in the autumn of 1881, while 
his widow passed away in June, 1900, both having been persons of 
sterling integrity and having been held in high esteem in the county. 
They were devoted members of the Lutheran church, and in this faith 
reared their seven children, - two sons and five daughters, — all of 
whom are well placed in life and a credit to their parents. The subject 
has had charge of the farm from the time of the arrival of the family in 
the county and the entire quarter section is under excellent 
cultivation, yielding good returns for the labors expended. He erected 
his present substantial residence in 1894, this being the fourth 
dwelling built on the old homestead. He is a Populist in politics and 
while taking a deep interest in the advancement of local interests has 
never been an aspirant for office.