David Eastman Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1353-1354 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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	DAVID EASTMAN, one of the prominent and influential citizens of 
Wilmot, Roberts county, was born in Allegany county, New York, on the 
1st of June, 1847, being a son of Tilton and Ann (Palmer) Eastman, both 
of whom were born and reared in Steuben county. The family lineage is of 
English, German, Scotch and Irish extraction. The Eastmans are English, 
the paternal grandmother was German, the maternal grandfather, Joshua 
Palmer, was Irish, and his wife was Scotch. Tilton and Ann Eastman 
removed in 1864 to Blue Earth county, Minnesota, where he was a farmer 
known for integrity and ability. Both died in South Dakota. David 
Eastman was about seventeen years of age at the removal to Minnesota, 
where he grew to manhood under the effective discipline of the farm, 
while he attended the common schools and the graded school at Plainview. 
He was associated with his father until he had attained the age of 
twenty-five years, when he engaged in teaching at Belleview, Minnesota, 
and was identified with the profession for five years, when he was for 
two years engaged in farming in Blue Earth county, Minnesota. In 1878 he 
located six miles south of the site of Wilmot where he entered 
government land, devoting himself to its reclamation and cultivation. In 
1884 he was elected register of deeds and county clerk, remaining 
incumbent of the dual office for four years, having removed to Wilmot. 
He then engaged in the farm implement business and to the negotiating of 
farm loans and represented leading fire-insurance companies. In April, 
1895, he was appointed deputy state commissioner of school and public 
lands, being elected commissioner in 1898. He rendered valuable service 
in this important office four years, when he retired to his pleasant 
home in Wilmot, where he has since given his attention principally to 
the supervision of farming interests, while he is president of the 
Farmers' State Bank of Wilmot, and also does a general real-estate 
business. Mr. Eastman has ever accorded allegiance to the Republican 
party, and was a member of the state central committee for a number of 
years. He was sergeant-at-arms of the state senate during the sessions 
of 1893 and 1895. He and his family attend the Presbyterian church and 
fraternally he is identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, 
the Knights of Pythias and the Dramatic Order of Knights of Khorassan. 

	On the 24th of May, 1884, Mr. Eastman was united in marriage to 
Miss Eliza Wilson, who was born in Columbia county, Wisconsin, on the 3d 
of January, 1851, being a daughter of William L. and Janette Wilson. Mr. 
and Mrs. Eastman have two daughters, Jessie May and Florence I.