George J. Chase Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1242-1243 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

	This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit 
	organizations for their private use. 

	Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval 
	system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other 
	means requires the written approval of the file's author.


	GEORGE J. CHASE, who is one of the representative farmers and 
stock growers of Brown county, was born in Steuben county, New York, on 
the 5th of August, 1853, and is a son of Ezra and Adelaide C. Chase, the 
former of whom is deceased, while the latter is still living and makes 
his home in Michigan. As a child the subject accompanied his parents on 
their removal to Wisconsin, his father engaging in the lumbering 
business near Palmyra and later at Oshkosh, where he took up his 
residence in 1862, so that the son George early became familiar with the 
strenuous life in the lumber woods, while his educational privileges 
were confined to a somewhat irregular attendance in the common schools. 
Mr. Chase remained in Wisconsin until 1882, when he came to Columbia, 
South Dakota, to join his uncle, General Charles B. Peck who was one of 
the first to take actively and energetically in hand the work of 
building up the town, where he erected both the Grand Hotel and the 
State Bank building, besides having other important interests, including 
a large tract of land in the county and the best residence in the new 
town. He remained here about five years and did much for the up-building 
and prosperity of the village and county, being a man of much enterprise 
and executive ability. He now resides in Houston, Texas, being general-
manager of the Texas Car Association. He served four years during the 
war of the Rebellion and after the war took an active interest in 
political affairs. While a resident of Columbia he served as 
quartermaster general on the staff of Governor Pierce. He became 
identified with railroad building when a young man. He was general 
manager of the Grand Trunk Railroad at Port Huron Michigan, before 
coming to South Dakota and was general manager of the Atlantic & 
Danville Railroad at Portsmouth, Virginia. Upon coming to South Dakota 
he constructed the line from Ordway to Columbia, at an outlay of eleven 
thousand dollars. The failure of the new town, which has since regained 
its prestige and greatly augmented it, changed all his plans and he 
finally withdrew from the field. He donated the lots for the erection of 
the county buildings in Columbia, which was then looked upon as the 
eventual county seat, and his name is one which well merits a place of 
honor in this history. For three years the subject took charge of his 
uncle's farming interests here and after the removal of the latter was 
placed in charge of all his local interests until the same were closed 
out. Mr. Chase came to his present farm, two and one-half miles north of 
Columbia, in March, 1885, and here he now owns an entire section of 
valuable land, which is devoted to the raising of grain and live stock, 
both departments of the enterprise being made successful through his 
able management. Three hundred acres are given over to the raising of 
grain, and upon the farm may be always found a fine herd of shorthorn 
cattle, together with sheep, swine and good horses. 

	Mr. Chase gives a staunch allegiance to the Republican party, and 
has frequently served as delegate to state and county conventions, 
though he has never been personally ambitious for public office of any 
description. Fraternally he is identified with the Ancient Order of 
United Workmen. 

	In Clintonville, Wisconsin, in 1878, Mr. Chase was united in 
marriage to Miss Edith Phen, who was summoned into eternal rest on 
December 26, 1894. She is survived by her two sons. Percy, who is in the 
employ of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad, and Charles B.. 
who remains with his father on the home farm. On the 9th of December, 
1895, Mr. Chase married his present wife, whose maiden name was Carrie 
L. Russell. She was born and reared in Wisconsin and was a successful 
and popular teacher in the public schools prior to her marriage. Of this 
union has been born one son, Ezra Clifford.