Jacob Engebretsen Holter

	This biography appears on pages 1034-1035 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

	This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit 
	organizations for their private use. 

	Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval 
	system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other 
	means requires the written approval of the file's author.


	JACOB ENGEBRETSEN HOLTER, numbered among the prosperous farmers of 
Lincoln county, is a native of Norway, where he was born on the 24th of 
June, 1837, and having been reared and educated in the fair land of his 
nativity, where his father was for many years engaged in a lumber 
business, making extensive shipments to foreign ports and being a man of 
sterling worth. Both he and his wife passed their entire lives in 
Norway, and of their children five are living at the present time, while 
of the number four are residents of the United States.  

	The subject of this sketch remained in his native land until he had 
attained the age of twenty-eight years, having received excellent 
educational advantages, going through Den Norske Artillery Brigade's 
Underofficers' Skole, and having rendered effective service in the 
Norwegian army for a period of seven years. In 1865 he came to America, 
landing in Quebec, and thence making his way westward to Chicago, his 
financial resources upon his arrival in the future western metropolis 
being represented in a twenty-dollar gold piece, which he exchanged for 
greenbacks, receiving one and one-half dollars for each dollar of gold. 
He was variously employed until 1868, when he came to the great 
territory of Dakota as a pioneer, locating in what is now Lincoln county 
and taking up a homestead claim of one hundred and sixty acres, in the 
immediate vicinity of the present thriving city of Canton. He was one of 
the earliest settlers in this locality, and in the pioneer days had to 
endure the hardships and vicissitudes incidental to establishing a home 
on the frontier, neighbors being few and far removed from one another, 
while the hostile Indians were a constant menace to life and property. 
He erected his rude and primitive dwelling and earnestly set himself to 
the task of subduing the virgin prairie to cultivation, and though he 
met with misfortunes, through the scourge of grasshoppers and by reason 
of unfavorable seasons, he maintained a sturdy courage and indomitable 
perseverance, and has not been denied his just rewards, since he is now 
the owner of a finely improved and valuable farm of three hundred and 
sixty acres, the greater portion of which is under effective 
cultivation. On his farm he set out the fine trees and orchard which now 
adorn the place, while all the permanent improvements are of excellent 
type and have been made by himself, he being a carpenter as well as 
farmer. He devotes his attention to diversified agriculture and stock 
growing and is one of the influential and highly honored pioneers of the 
county. In politics he gives his support to the Populist party, and has 
been active in the promotion of its cause, while the esteem in which he 
is held in the community is shown in the fact that he has been called 
upon to serve in various offices of local trust. He has almost 
constantly been a member of the school board of his district; is now 
serving his sixth term as treasurer of Canton township, and was 
incumbent of the office of county commissioner from 1870 to 1872, 
inclusive. In 1869 he erected the first frame house in Canton for J. Q. 
Fitzgerald and at all times he has shown that progressive spirit which 
has typified the sterling pioneers of the state, whose advancement and 
great prosperity have been advanced through their efforts. In religion 
he is very liberal. He admits the supremacy of natural law and rejects 
orthodoxy. He is a strong moralist and a member of the Norwegian 
Lutheran church.  

	On the 23d of December, 1872, Mr. Holter was united in marriage to 
Miss Helga Thorsteinson, who was born in Norway and who was a resident 
of Lincoln county, this state, at the time of her marriage. Of this 
union have been born eight children, five of whom are living, namely: 
Engebret, Thorstein, Carl, Emma and Clara.