Milton D. Gardner Biography

	This biography appears on pages 1016-1017 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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	MILTON D. GARDNER, one of the leading farmers and stock raisers of 
Bon Homme county, is a native of Oneida county, New York, and dates his 
birth from April 30, 1837. His grandfather, Benjamin Gardner, moved to 
that county in an early day from Rhode Island and was one of the leading 
citizens of the community in which he spent the remainder of his life. 
He was a farmer by occupation, took an active part in the affairs of 
Oneida county and died there many years ago, leaving a family of six 
children, viz: Daniel. Frederick, David, Mary, Harriet and Narcissus, 
all deceased except Harriet, who still lives in the state of New York.  

	Frederick Gardner, the second son, was born September 23, 1811, 
married Sarah Wiggin, whose birth occurred in the year 1816, and 
departed this life in Oneida county, January 16, 1870, his wife dying 
seven years after that date. Mr. Gardner followed tilling the soil for a 
livelihood and was a man of sterling worth. He was a Democrat in 
politics, a Baptist in his religious belief and as a neighbor and 
citizen bore an excellent reputation. Frederick and Sarah Gardner reared 
a family of seven children, whose names are as follows: Joanna born 
January IO, 1835, married Alexander Bowers, and died in Dubuque, Iowa, 
October 10, 1900; Milton D., the subject of this review, is the second 
in order of birth; Anna Eliza was born June 28, 1839; Harriet, wife of 
William Bowers, was born February 24, 1842, and died in 1898; George W., 
whose birth occurred on the 17th of September, 1846, died in childhood; 
Henry J., born March 23, 1849, is living a retired life with the 
subject; A. W. was born March 22, 1855, and makes his home in Maquoketa, 
Iowa.  

	Milton D. Gardner was educated in the public schools of his native 
county, grew to manhood on the farm and remained with his parents until 
twenty-seven years of age. In 1864 he severed home ties and went to 
Minneapolis, Minnesota, but after spending a short time at that place 
changed his abode to Waseca, in the same state, where he clerked for two 
years in a mercantile house. Resigning his position at the end of that 
time he became bookkeeper for a firm in Dubuque, Iowa, where he remained 
until 1873, the meanwhile becoming familiar with business and well 
qualified to enter upon the duties of the active career which awaited 
him in the west. In the above year Mr. Gardner came to South Dakota and 
with his brother engaged in the implement business at Yankton, where the 
two conducted a large establishment until 1883, building up a lucrative 
trade during that time and becoming widely and favorably known in 
commercial circles. Disposing of his interest at the time noted, the 
subject came to Bon Homme county and purchased his present farm of one 
hundred and sixty acres in the township of Bon Homme, which he at once 
began to improve and which he has since converted into one of the best 
farms as well as one of the most beautiful and attractive country homes 
in this part of the state. Since moving to this place he has devoted his 
attention to agriculture and stock raising and that his success has been 
most flattering is attested by his steady advancement in material 
affairs, being at this time the owner of eleven hundred acres of 
valuable land in Eon Homme county, four hundred of which are in 
cultivation and otherwise highly improved. He devotes especial attention 
to corn, millet, alfalfa and hay, which he raises in abundance and feeds 
to his live stock. Mr. Gardner has achieved enviable repute as a raiser 
of fine blooded cattle and has on his farm at this time thirty-five 
registered shorthorns, also a large herd of other superior breeds, 
besides owning two hundred Poland-China hogs, and a number of fine 
horses for both draft and road purposes. He exhibits his live stock and 
the products of his farms have taken a number of premiums awarded by the 
state fairs, all of which he attends and in the deliberations of which 
he takes an active interest and prominent part. In addition to his 
general agricultural and large live-stock interests,   Mr. Gardner has a 
wide reputation as a grower of fine varieties of corn. So great has been 
the   demand for this product of his farm that in the year 1903 he 
shipped more than a thousand   bushels to different parts of the state 
and yet was unable to fill all orders that came to him. He   has given 
close and critical study to corn culture and his efforts have resulted 
in the   improvement of standard varieties and the development of new 
and highly productive kinds, for   all of which he receives fancy 
prices.  

	Fraternally, Mr. Gardner is a Mason, belonging to the blue lodge 
at Tyndall and the chapter at Scotland and he is also identified with 
the Pythian order, holding membership with the lodge which meets at 
Springfield. While not a politician in the strict sense of the word, he 
keeps well informed on the leading public questions of the day, and 
gives his support to the Democratic party though in local affairs 
frequently voting for the best qualified candidate, regardless of 
political ties.  

	Mr. Gardner, on May 1, 1861, was united in marriage with Miss 
Ophelia Brewer, of Oneida county, New York, the union resulting in the 
birth of three children, the oldest of whom, Asa, was born on May 8, 
1866. This son is now a prosperous stock dealer and lives at New 
England, North Dakota, where he has a family of five children, his wife 
having formerly been Miss Emma Harrison, of Bon Homme county; Isabella 
S., the second of the subject's children, was born March 12, 1868, and 
married Herbert Silverwood, a farmer of Bon Homme county, this state; 
the youngest of the family, a son by the name of Clarence E., was born 
on May 24, 1879, and is his father's able assistant on the farm.