Calvin Marcellus Giddings Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1260-1261 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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	CALVIN MARCELLUS GIDDINGS sprang from pioneer stock, his father, 
Jabez Giddings, a native of New York, having been one of the first 
settlers of Stevenson county, Illinois, moving to that state before the 
land was surveyed, and living for some time as a squatter. Calvin M. 
Giddings was born in Lena, Illinois, January 10, 1859, and until his 
sixteenth year remained on the home farm, assisting with the varied 
duties of the same. At that age his father gave him his time, after 
which he worked as a farm laborer in the neighborhood until the 
following fall, when he went to Mason City, Iowa, making the trip on 
horseback. He remained about three years at that place, devoting two 
years of the time to farm work, and in the fall of 1875, with a young 
man of his acquaintance, went to Texas, with the object in view of 
engaging in the live-stock business. On arriving at his destination, 
however, he changed his mind, and instead of investing in cattle, 
decided to become a cotton planter. He raised two crops of cotton, but 
the conditions not being favorable, neither proved profitable, but on 
the contrary resulted in the loss of nearly all his capital. Somewhat 
discouraged by his ill success, he shook the dust of Texas from his 
shoes and in the fall of 1879 returned to Iowa, bringing with him six 
horses; which represented all that he had saved from his experience in 
cotton culture. After spending the fall and winter of the above year in 
Iowa, he started the following spring for Dakota, shipping his horses to 
Milbank, which place he reached in due time and from which he drove the 
animals through to Brown county. On June 21, 1880, he entered a tract of 
land at the land office in Watertown, his claim being one of the first 
taken in Aberdeen township. Moving on his claim in the spring of 1881, 
he at once began developing his land, one of his first improvements 
being a small board dwelling, the only house of the kind within a radius 
of several miles. He hauled his lumber from Watertown, one hundred miles 
distant. Mr. Giddings was the second permanent settler in Aberdeen 
township, the first having been a man by the name of Britzius. 

	In the spring of 1881 Mr. Giddings moved to his place and on July 
31st, of the same year, took to himself a wife and helpmeet in the 
person of Miss Harriet Bland, who with her brother, Charles Bland, came 
to South Dakota, in May, 1879, both entering land in Brown county. Mrs. 
Giddings is a native of England and came direct from that country to 
South Dakota, and in due time proved up on her claim, receiving a deed 
for the same from the government. Her brother improved a fine farm, and 
after making it his home for a period of twenty years, emigrated to 
Oregon, where he now resides. The marriage of Mr. Giddings and Miss 
Bland was the first event of the kind solemnized in the county of Brown. 
Shortly after it took place the happy couple moved to the bride's place. 
Since coming west Mr. Giddings has purchased land in various parts of 
the country, owning at this time in Brown county alone over two thousand 
acres, the greater part of which has been brought to a high state of 
cultivation. He gives special attention to farming, which he has made 
quite successful, his wheat crop for a number of years past averaging 
fifteen thousand bushels a year, in addition to which he also realizes 
returns from the sale of live stock, much of his land being well adapted 
to cattle raising. 

	Mr. Giddings has bought and sold a great deal of real estate since 
coming to Dakota, has broken thousands of acres of virgin prairie, and 
made many fortunate investments, being now not only one of the largest 
land owners in Brown county, but also one of its most enterprising 
farmers and well-to-do men. He has traveled extensively over the western 
states and territories, from Texas to California, visiting many points 
of interest, made a trip to the Hawaiian islands; besides traversing all 
parts of South Dakota, comparing the relative merits of the different 
localities. Among them he prefers the county in which he now lives and, 
having been remarkably fortunate in all of his business affairs, here 
purposes to make it his permanent place of abode. 

	As a farmer Mr. Giddings is energetic and exercises sound judgment 
in the matter of tillage. He is systematic in his plans, uses the best 
modern machinery and implements and never fails to realize large returns 
from the time and labor expended on his fields, his wheat for a number 
of years, averaging forty bushels to the acre, and oats often running as 
high as one hundred and ten. He raises the finest grades of cattle and 
hogs, and, though paying less attention to live stock than to 
agriculture, no little share of his income is derived from the latter 
source. In politics Mr. Giddings is not a partisan, but supports the 
party which best represents his principles, though of recent years he 
has given support to the Prohibition party, being strictly a temperate 
man with a strong antipathy for the liquor traffic. Fraternally he 
belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America and religiously attends the 
Methodist church, of which body his wife is a faithful member. 

	Mr. and Mrs. Giddings are the parents. of five children, namely: 
William J., Leander J., Luther E., Horace B. and Paul C. Mr. Giddings is 
a friend of higher education, and has done much to promote the interests 
of the same in the county of his residence. He has given his children 
the best advantages in this direction obtainable, the three oldest being 
graduates of first-class educational institutions, while the other two 
are now pursuing their studies under favorable auspices.