The Gold Brothers Biographies


	These biographies appears on pages 800-802 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 the Gold brothers faces page 800.


	THE GOLD BROTHERS. - The progressive spirit and initiative power 
so typical of the men who have built up a splendid civilization in the 
great northwest are significantly shown forth in the careers of the 
Gold brothers, five in number, who have been for many years closely 
associated in their business operations and who now control interests 
of broad scope and marked importance not only in South Dakota but also 
in Minnesota.  

	Sidney R. Gold, the eldest of the five, was born in Northampton 
county, Pennsylvania, on the 7th of March, 1857. The Gold family is of 
German lineage and was founded in the Keystone state in its early 
settlement, though the religious faith of the family was that of the 
Reformed Lutheran church instead of that of the Society of Friends. The 
parents of these five brothers were Aaron and Ellen (Cahoon) Gold, both 
of whom were born and reared in Pennsylvania, the latter being of 
English extraction and a representative of one of the old families of 
Pennsylvania. Of the family of thirteen children, five sons and five 
daughters are still living. The names of the five brothers are Sidney 
R., Frank O., James A., John T. and William H. They are engaged in the 
banking business at Big Stone City and Albee, South Dakota, and also in 
Rennville, Wabasso, Revere, Belview, Vesta, Redwood Falls, and 
Marietta, Minnesota, while they also conduct an extensive business in 
real-estate loans, having agencies at Milbank, South Dakota, and at 
Redwood Falls, Minnesota. The old family home was located in eastern 
Pennsylvania, eighty miles west of New York city, and thence the 
parents came to Illinois in 1857, becoming pioneer settlers of 
Stephenson county. From Illinois each of the five sons crossed over the 
Mississippi into Iowa ere he had attained his legal majority, and there 
all became associated in their business operations, following various 
pursuits until 1887, when they all moved on to the extreme western 
section of Minnesota and eastern South Dakota, with whose interests 
they have since been prominently identified, contributing materially to 
the march of progress. Here they began to purchase and improve farming 
lands and finally to loan money for New England capitalists. In the 
1894 they established a banking institution in Big Stone City, and they 
now own or have the controlling interests in banks in the various towns 
mentioned. They also have controlling interest in three land- and loan 
companies, the Gold-Stabeck Land and Credit Company, of Renville, 
Minnesota; Gold Brothers Land and Investment Company, of Big Stone 
City; and a branch of the Latter at Indian Head, Assiniboia, Northwest 
Territory. They own and have under cultivation about fifteen thousand 
acres of land, mostly in South Dakota, and are also largely engaged in 
the raising of high-grade live stock. They are the owners of the Gold 
Brothers Brick Company, of Big Stone City, which could dispose of an 
output many times greater than the present capacity of the plant, which 
is kept constantly in operation, affording employment to about twenty 
men. They were also identified with the organization of the Inter-State 
Chautauqua Association, whose assemblies are held at Big Stone Lake, 
and also with the improvement of Simpson Park, which is used by the 
association and which is pronounced the largest and handsomest summer 
resort in the northwest. From a brochure describing this park we quote 
as follows: "There is a large auditorium and pavilion used for public 
meetings, lectures, etc., the former having a seating capacity for 
about two thousand persons. There are also seventy-five cottages in the 
park that can be secured on the grounds. This park is situated on the 
banks of the finest and most picturesque lake in the northwest, its 
length being between thirty-five and forty miles, while it varies in 
width from one-half to two miles. Its banks and islands are beautiful 
and pleasing to the eye, being fringed with groves, and numerous stony 
points may be seen as you sail over the placid bosom of this lake of 
all lakes for grandeur and sport." It may also be said that the hotel 
accommodations are excellent and that fine hunting and fishing are to 
be had. Sidney R. Gold is secretary of the Inter-State Chautauqua 
Association and of the company controlling Simpson park, where are also 
held the summer schools of the Inter-State Teachers' Association, 
covering the states of North and South Dakota and Minnesota.  

	Sidney R. Gold has been prominent in public affairs and is a 
staunch advocate of the principles of the Republican party, as are also 
each of his brothers. He represented Grant county in the house of the 
state legislature in 1893 and 1895, and served on the appropriation 
committee. Fraternally he is identified with the Masonic order and the 
Modern Woodmen of America.  

	In Clinton, Iowa, on the 18th of May, 1876, Sidney R. Gold was 
united in marriage to Miss Eva M. Sloan, who was born and reared in 
Clinton, Iowa, and they are the parents of seven children, namely: 
Mabel E., who is stenographer in the Big Stone Bank; Edith M., who is 
the wife of Charles Wallace, cashier of the Albee Bank, at Albee; 
Florence L. and Ruth S., who are students in the Northwestern 
University, at Evanston, Illinois; and Ralph S., Milton J. and Eva A. 
The family residence, one of the finest in the county, is located on 
the hill in the north section of the town, commanding a most beautiful 
view of the lake and surrounding country, while it is modern in all its 
appointments and equipments.  

	Frank O. Gold was born and reared in Davis, Illinois. He is the 
president of the Gold-Stabeck Land Company and vice-president of the 
First National Bank, both of Renville, Minnesota, where he makes his 
home. He is a strong Methodist, and is not only prominent in his own 
church, but has been further honored by being chosen as a lay delegate 
from the Northern Minnesota conference to the general conference of the 
Methodist church, held at Los Angeles, California, in the early summer 
of 1904.  

	James A. Gold was born in Davis, Illinois, on the 14th of May, 
1860. At the age of fifteen years he joined his older brothers in Iowa, 
and acted as station agent and telegraph operator in the various towns 
in which they were located, having served in such capacity for eight 
years after coming to Big Stone City. He has served as treasurer of the 
school district for the past decade. He is affiliated with the 
Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Modern Woodmen of America and the 
Ancient Order of United Workmen. He is a member of the board of 
trustees of the First Methodist Episcopal church of Big Stone City. He 
has executive charge of the affairs of the Gold & Company Bank, of 
which he has been cashier from the time of its establishment, in 1894. 
His residence is the finest in the city and one of the best to be found 
between Minneapolis and Aberdeen. At Waubay, Day county, on the 22d of 
December, 1884, Mr. Gold wedded Miss Ida B. Stone, who was born in the 
state of Maine, being a daughter of C. C. Stone, now a resident of Big 
Stone City. Of this union have been born nine children, namely: Ray E., 
Lee A., Earl S., Grace M., Irene M., Verna B., Mildred C., James C. and 
Kenneth.  

	John T. Gold was born in Davis, Stephenson county, Illinois, on 
the 15th of November, 1862, and he joined his brothers in Iowa in 1875. 
He is now treasurer of the Gold Brothers Land and Investment Company, 
to which he devotes the major portion of his attention. He was a member 
of the village council of Big Stone City for eight years, and is one of 
the public-spirited and popular citizens of the county. He is 
identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Modern 
Woodmen of America, and is one of the stewards of the First Methodist 
Episcopal church, having held this office from the time of coming to 
the county, and having been superintendent of the Sunday school for the 
past twelve years. His attractive modern home is eligibly located on 
the shores of Big Stone lake. On the 15th of September, 1885, John T. 
Gold was united in marriage to Miss Alice Harrington, of Delmar, Iowa, 
and they have three children, Marjorie A., Paul J. and Malcom L.  

	William H. Gold is president of the Gold-Stabeck Bank, at Redwood 
Falls, where he resides, and devotes his attention to that institution. 
Mr. Gold is a Methodist and in the early summer of 1904 was a lay 
delegate from the Southern Minnesota conference to the general 
conference of the Methodist Episcopal church, held at Los Angeles.