Luther E. Gage Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1030-1031 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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	LUTHER E. GAGE, a representative citizen and business man of 
McCook county and vice-president of the Security State Bank of Montrose, 
was born in New York on the 27th of July, 1861, and is a son of Eugene 
S. and Elvira (Hazelton) Gage, representatives of old and honored 
families of the Empire state, where they were both born and reared. They 
now reside in Montrose, South Dakota, where they have made their home 
since 1880. The father of the subject was for many years engaged 
actively in farming and stock raising, but is now living practically 
retired. Of the eight children in the family all are living except one, 
the names, in order of birth, being as follows: Ellen, Luther E., Frank, 
Matilda, Gertrude, Earl, Orin and Smith, the last named being deceased. 
When the subject was yet a youth, his parents came to the west and 
located in Grundy county, Iowa, where his father was engaged in farming 
until his removal to South Dakota. The subject secured his educational 
discipline in the public schools of Iowa, and after leaving school he 
continued to give his attention to the great basic art of agriculture, 
to which he has ever since given his allegiance, appreciating the fact 
that it is a proud distinction to be termed a successful farmer. In the 
spring of 1879, at the age of eighteen years, Mr. Gage came to what is 
now the state of South Dakota and settled in Clear Lake township, 
Minnehaha county, where he entered claim to I one hundred and sixty 
acres of government land, I perfecting his title in due time and there 
continuing to reside until 1892, when he came to McCook county, where he 
engaged in farming and stock raising, eventually becoming the owner of a 
finely improved landed estate of four hundred and eighty acres, which he 
still retains in his possession and to whose operations he still gives a 
general supervision. He has given special attention to the raising of 
high-grade cattle, and upon his ranch are usually to be found about five 
hundred head. In 1893, Mr. Gage engaged in the general merchandise 
business in Montrose, conducting this enterprise in addition to his 
ranching business, and he continued the same successfully for a period 
of two years, at the expiration of which he disposed of his interests in 
the line.  

	In March, 1897, Mr. Gage became associated with P. G. Williams, a 
leading business man of Montrose, in the conducting of an agricultural 
implement and real-estate business until the spring of 1902, when the 
Security State Bank was organized and opened for business on the 9th day 
of March of that year. They own the controlling stock in the bank, and 
the reputation which they bear in this section stands as ample voucher 
for the reliability and solidity of the institution and gives assurance 
of a representative popular support. Mr. Williams is president of the 
bank and the subject is vice-president, while L. S. Lillibridge is in 
active charge of the counting room in the capacity of cashier. Mr. Gage 
is, in politics, a stanch supporter of the principles of the Republican 
party, but has never sought or held public office of any description. 
His wife is a Baptist. Fraternally, he is affiliated with the Masonic 
order, in which he has passed the degrees of the blue lodge, and is also 
affiliated with the Ancient Order of United Workmen.  

	On the 23d of May, 1881, Mr. Gage was united in marriage to Miss 
Ana Williams, of this county. She was born and reared in Wisconsin and 
is a daughter of William and Mary Williams, who are now residents of 
Minnehaha county, this state. Mr. and Mrs. Gage have six children, 
namely: Roy, Nona, Allen, William, Irene and Clyde. Roy and Allen are 
students in the high school at Sioux Falls at the time of this writing, 
the former being a graduate of the class of 1903 and the latter will 
graduate with the class of 1904.