Hugh S. Gamble Biography


	This biography appears on pages 672-674 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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	A photo of Hugh S. Gamble faces page 672.


	HUGH S. GAMBLE.  - The family of which the subject of this review 
is an honorable representative is an old and respectable one, and the 
name is not only widely and familiarly known throughout South Dakota 
and other states, but has also become distinguished in the annals of 
the national government. Hugh S. Gamble, prominent citizen and 
representative business man of Yankton, is a native of Ireland, and 
inherits to a marked degree the intelligence, keen mental alertness, 
broad sympathies and optimistic temperament for which the best class of 
his nationality has for centuries been noted. His father, Robert 
Gamble, was born in County Down, Ireland, July 5, 1812, grew to 
maturity in his native isle and on reaching manhood's estate engaged in 
the pursuit of agriculture, which calling he followed in Ireland until 
1846. In that year he brought his family to the United States and, 
settling in Genesee county. New York, resumed farming and made that 
part of the country his home until his removal, in 1862 to Dodge 
county, Wisconsin, where he spent the remainder of his life, dying 
there on June 1, 1893.  

	In many respects Robert Gamble was much more than an ordinary 
man; intelligent far beyond the average and possessed of excellent 
judgment and superior business ability, he not only managed his affairs 
well and accumulated a comfortable fortune, but made his presence felt 
among all with whom he associated. He was a zealous Congregationalist, 
exemplified his religion in his relations with the world, and always 
stood for what was correct in manhood and honorable in citizenship. In 
politics his family presented a striking anomaly in that he was an 
earnest and uncompromising Democrat, while all his sons became equally 
zealous and determined in their allegiance to the Republican party. 
Some ten or twelve years prior to his death Mr. Gamble turned his farm 
and business affairs over to his son William and spent the remainder of 
his days in honorable retirement.  

	Jennie Abernethy, who became the wife of Robert Gamble, was born 
in County Down, Ireland, July 21, 1809, and departed this life at her 
home in Wisconsin, on the 16th of November, 1880. She bore her husband 
seven children, of whom the following survive: James, a resident of Fox 
Lake, Wisconsin; Hugh S., the subject of this sketch; Isabella, who 
married L. B. Bridgeman and lives in Vermilion, South Dakota: Hon. 
Robert J., United States senator from South Dakota and one of the 
state's distinguished public men, whose biography will be found on 
another page of this volume; and Margaret, wife of S. C. McDowell, 
whose home is at Fox Lake, Wisconsin. Hon. John Gamble, one of the 
deceased members of the family, became prominent in the public affairs 
of South Dakota, and at the time of his death, August 14, 1891, was 
representing the Yankton district in the United States congress. He was 
a leading Republican politician, a statesman of acknowledged ability 
and bore a distinguished part in shaping the policy of his party and in 
contributing to its success. He was recognized as an influential factor 
in his adopted state, made an eminently creditable record in the 
honorable legislative body to which he was chosen and in the private 
walks of life acquitted himself as an upright, conscientious man, who 
consecrated his gifts to the benefit of his kind and made the world 
better for his presence. The mother of these children, Jennie 
(Abernathy) Gamble, was a woman of sterling qualities, generous and 
self sacrificing under all conditions and circumstances. Her education 
was superior to that of most of those who had superior advantages to 
hers. She was from childhood a Christian of pronounced character. She 
was an active member of the Presbyterian church in her native land, but 
not finding a church of that denomination in the locality where they 
located in the United States, she placed her membership in the 
Congregational church, with which she remained affiliated until her 
death. Though true to her membership in this church, she was a broad-
minded Christian, whose noble actions sprang from a pure and unselfish 
heart and extended for beyond the limits of dogmas. The impress left by 
her on her immediate family was notably marked. The leading 
characteristics of her offspring have ever been marked by the true 
nobility of character, intellectuality and Christian lives they have 
ever led.  

	Hugh S. Gamble was born June 26, 1843, in County Down, Ireland, 
and spent his childhood in close touch with nature, amid the quiet 
scenes and wholesome discipline of the home farm in New York state, the 
family having removed to this country when he was about three years 
old. Industry and thrift appear to have been the characteristics of the 
family, and the subject's early training was such as to foster correct 
habits and lead him while still young to lay his plans for his future. 
At the proper age he entered the public schools near his New York home, 
where he received the major part of his educational training, but owing 
to serious impairment of his eyesight he was obliged, greatly to his 
regret, to discontinue his studies when about ready to enter upon a 
college course. This affliction, which came upon him in early life, 
proved not only a source of much suffering and bodily distress, but 
also interfered very materially with his future course of action as it 
prevented him carrying to successful issue many cherished plans, and 
served to blast hopes as dear almost as life itself. Notwithstanding 
his ailment and the many sacrifices he was compelled to make in 
consequence thereof, he did not become misanthropic, but continued ever 
to fool; on the bright side of things and make the most of his 
opportunities. Actuated by a spirit of beautiful and lofty optimism, he 
bent all his energies in the direction of self-improvement, prepared 
himself for life's practical duties and, coming to Wisconsin when a lad 
of nineteen years, found in that state opportunities for advancement 
such as could not have been obtained in the land of his nativity.  

	In 1872 Mr. Gamble associated himself in the lumber business with 
his brother James and during the ensuing eleven years the firm thus 
constituted operated quite extensively in Monroe county, Wisconsin, 
also in various other parts of the state, and met with encouraging 
financial success from their undertaking. Dissolving the partnership in 
1883, the subject came to Yankton, South Dakota, with the interests of 
which growing city he has since been quite actively identified and to 
the material growth and prosperity of which he has greatly contributed. 
Since locating at Yankton Mr. Gamble has devoted his attention to real 
estate, insurance and loaning money, in all of which lines he has built 
Up a large and lucrative business and won a prominent standing among 
the city's enterprising and successful men of affairs. In addition to 
extensive and steadily growing interests, he has extended his 
operations over a large part of the state and now numbers among his 
patrons men in nearly every well-settled county of the commonwealth.  
	While zealous in the prosecution of his business affairs, and 
financially successful far beyond the majority of his contemporaries, 
Mr. Gamble has not been unmindful of his duties to the public as a 
citizen. As indicated above, he has encouraged all legitimate agencies 
for the development of the city's commercial, industrial and general 
material interests, lends his influence to enterprises for the 
intellectual and moral welfare of the community and heartily co-
operates in any undertaking which promises good to his fellow man. He 
is a friend of education and is now serving on the board of trustees of 
Yankton College. Mr. Gamble is a communicant of the Congregational 
church and for the past twelve years has been one of the trustees of 
the congregation worshiping in Yankton. As indicated in a preceding 
paragraph, he is a zealous Republican, and as such has rendered his 
party yeoman service, not from personal motives or an ambition for 
public or official honors, but from a desire to see the triumph of the 
principles in which he has such great faith.  

	Considering the great disadvantages under which he formerly 
labored and the inconvenience to which he was subject by reason of 
impaired vision, the success of Mr. Gamble in business and other 
capacities has been, to say the least, remarkable. From 1861 to 1872 
his eyes were so painful as to prevent him from going where there was 
more than a very subdued light, consequently during that long period of 
eleven years he was obliged to remain closely indoors, where, denied 
the blessed privilege of reading, it appears more than ever strange, 
but certainly greatly to his credit, that he did not pine on account of 
condition and become pessimistic. Like the apostle Paul, however, he 
was enabled to bear his affliction and, notwithstanding the suffering 
and inconvenience resulting therefrom, it doubtless proved an 
effective, though painful, discipline in teaching him the sweet lesson 
of patience, and how to accept with true philosophy and becoming grace 
the mysterious dispensations of providence over which mortals have no 
control.  

	The married life of Mr. Gamble dates from 1880, in September of 
which year he was united in marriage with Miss Eva Weed, of Fox Lake, 
Wisconsin. Mr. and Mrs. Gamble have a beautiful home and a charming 
family circle, composed at this time of themselves and four children, 
one of their offspring, a daughter by the name of Margaret, being 
deceased; those living are Jennie, Hugh S., Jr., Edith and James W., 
all students, the older ones pursuing their studies in Yankton College, 
the younger attending the public schools of the city. Mrs. Gamble was 
born April 2, 1852, at Ticonderoga, western New York, and accompanied 
her parents upon their removal to Fox Lake, Wisconsin, when she was but 
three v ears old. She attended the public schools at this place and 
after graduation attended and graduated from the female seminary in the 
same town. Since early life she has been a member of the Congregational 
church, and since arriving at maturity has taken an active part in all 
church work. She is a woman of high character and is greatly loved and 
honored by all good people within the circle of her acquaintance.