James T. Jacobson Biography


	This biography appears on pages 874-875 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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	JAMES T. JACOBSON was born in Norway, on the 25th of September, 
1854, being a son of Ole T. and Gurena Jacobson, who were born and 
reared in Norway, the father being a farmer by vocation. They emigrated 
to America in 1895 and passed the closing years of their lives in the 
state of Illinois. The subject secured his early educational training 
in his native land and was a lad of about eleven years at the time of 
his arrival in the United States, in 1865. He remained in LaSalle 
county, Illinois, about two months and then removed to Livingston 
county, that state, where he continued to be identified with 
agricultural pursuits until 1882, when he came to South Dakota and 
settled in Aurora county, where he took up homestead, tree and 
preemption claims in Palatine township, eventually perfecting his title 
to the tract of four hundred and eighty acres which he had thus secured 
from the government. He is now the owner of twelve hundred and eighty 
acres of land in the county and has been signally prospered in his 
temporal affairs, having been an assiduous worker and having gained 
success through his earnest and well directed endeavor. About four 
hundred acres of his land are under cultivation, and all of his estate 
is well fenced, the remainder being used for range purposes in 
connection with his live-stock enterprise. He raises shorthorn and 
Hereford cattle and an excellent grade of swine, of which latter he 
ships about a carload each year, while his average herd of cattle 
numbers about one hundred head. Mr. Jacobson has made excellent 
improvements on his place, including a good residence and other 
substantial buildings properly adapted to the uses to which they are 
applied, while he has about twenty acres of cottonwood and ash trees, 
which were planted by himself and which are now well matured, adding 
materially to the attractions of his fine ranch. He is a man of marked 
public spirit and has ever shown a deep interest in all that concerns 
the welfare of the community. He is a staunch Republican in his 
political proclivities, and has served as a member of the township 
board, while he has also held office in his school district, being an 
earnest supporter of the cause of education and having given his 
children the best possible advantages in the line. He and his wife are 
consistent members of the Lutheran church, and are folk who have the 
high regard of all who know them, while he is recognized as one of the 
substantial farmers and business men of the county.  

	On the 14th of January, 1885, Mr. Jacobson was united in marriage 
to Miss Isabelle Johnson, who was born in Livingston county, Illinois, 
being a daughter of John and Caroline (Mitchell) Johnson, who were born 
and reared in Norway, whence they came to America and settled in 
Illinois in an early day. He and his wife became the parents of seven 
children, of whom five are living. Mr. and Mrs. Jacobson have five 
children, all of whom still remain beneath the parental roof, their 
names, in order of birth, being as follows: Grace O., Clara J., Jessie 
E., Martha T. and James E.