George E. Masters Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1097-1099 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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	GEORGE E. MASTERS, one of the prominent business men and honored 
citizens of Spencer, McCook county, was born in Steuben county, New 
York, February 26, 1853, a son of Samuel and Margaret (Farrington) 
Masters, of whose four children we incorporate the following brief data: 
Augusta A. is the wife of C. P. Sherwood, state dairy commissioner of 
South Dakota, and they reside in DeSmet; Jesse F. B. is likewise a 
resident of that place: Genevieve is the wife of W. G. Renwick, auditor 
for the zinc syndicate and a resident of the city of Chicago; and George 
E. is the subject of this review. Samuel Masters was born in New Jersey, 
in 1822, and when a child accompanied his parents on their removal to 
Steuben county, New York, where he was reared to the sturdy discipline 
of the farm, being given the advantages of an academical education, in 
Ithaca, New York.  There he completed a course in civil engineering, and 
in later years he found his services as a surveyor in much requisition,; 
in connection with his agricultural operations. in 1878 he removed with 
his family to Minnesota, and three years later came to South Dakota, 
locating in Kingsbury county, where he took up a quarter section of 
government land. He rendered efficient service as county surveyor for a 
number of years and was one of the influential citizens of his section. 
He was a Democrat in politics and was a man of impregnable integrity and 
marked mentality. While a resident of Steuben county, New York, he held 
the office of superintendent of schools for several years, having also 
been a successful teacher and prominent in educational work. He died in 
1893, having passed the psalmist's span of three score years and ten. 
His widow is still living and resides in the home of her daughter, Mrs. 
Sherwood, in DeSmet, being seventy-six years of age at the time of this 
writing, in 1903.  

	George E. Masters was reared under the gracious influences of a 
cultured and refined home, and after completing the curriculum of the 
public schools continued his studies for two years in Corning Academy, 
at Corning, New York. At the age of twenty-one he took a position as 
clerk in a drug store in that place, where he was employed for three 
years. In 1876 he set forth to carve out his career in the west, and for 
two years was employed in the city of Chicago. In 1878 he located in 
Walnut Grove, Minnesota, in which locality he was employed at farm work, 
and there, in 1879, he was married to Miss Margaret Gilmore. In the 
spring of the following year he came with his bride to South Dakota, and 
during the ensuing summer he was employed in the company store of Walls, 
Harrison & Shute, railroad contractors, who were then engaged in the 
construction of the line between Tracy and Pierre. In the fall of that 
year Mr. Masters took a position as brakeman on this road, and in 
December went to DeSmet, Kingsbury county, in which locality he has 
filed entry on a tree claim in 1879 and on a homestead in the spring of 
1880, his eldest son having been the first white child born in what is 
now the thriving little city of DeSmet. He continued to reside on his 
homestead until 1886, duly proving on the property under the homestead 
laws. Within this interval, in 1881, he accepted a position with the 
Empire Lumber Company, at DeSmet, and continued in the employ of this 
concern for ten and one-half years, while for one year he was an employe 
of the firm of Hanson & Lambert, engaged in the same line of enterprise 
in DeSmet. In 1893 he associated himself with his brother Jesse in the 
sheep business, in which he continued a short time. In 1892 he was 
candidate on the Democratic ticket for the office of state senator, 
there being three tickets in the field during that campaign. He 
succeeded in winning sufficient Republican votes to compass the election 
of the Populist candidate, and though he was himself defeated he gained 
no little influence in the ranks of his party, and this led to his 
securing the appointment of postmaster at DeSmet, an office which he 
held for four years under the administration of President Cleveland. In 
the winter of 1884 there was organized in DeSmet Company E of the 
National Guard of the Territory of Dakota, and our subject was made 
third sergeant of the same, from which position he finally rose to the 
office of captain. At the outbreak of the  war Mr. Masters was senior 
captain of his regiment, which in 1898 tendered its services to the 
government, enlisting for service in the Philippines, where it made a 
brilliant record. Mr. Masters accompanied the regiment to Sioux Falls 
and there was rejected for service on account of his physical 
proportions. This was the reason given but he has ever been certain that 
the real cause of his rejection was one of political nature. He was, 
however, given the privilege of naming the lieutenants of the company 
over which he had so long been in command, and his choice fell upon 
Harry Hubbard and Sidney Morrison for first and second lieutenants, 
respectively. On bidding the boys farewell the last to grasp his hand 
were Lieutenant Morrison and Lewis Chase, both of whom met their death 
in the Philippines while in discharge of their patriotic duties.  

	In March, 1899, Mr. Masters accepted a position with the John W. 
Tuttle Lumber Company, as manager of their yards at Spencer, where he 
has since been located, being one of the honored and popular citizens of 
the place. He is a stanch advocate of the principles of the Democratic 
party and has long been an active worker in its cause. While a resident 
of DeSmet he served for a number of years as a member of the village 
council and also as a member of the board of education, while at the 
time of this writing he is president of the board of education in 
Spencer. He is affiliated with Spencer Lodge, No. 126, Free and Accepted 
Masons, to which he transferred his membership from DeSmet Lodge, of 
which latter he is past master, as is he also of the lodge of the 
Ancient Order of United Workmen in that place. He and his wife are 
valued members of the Baptist church.  

	Mention has been made of the fact that Mr. Masters was married in 
1879, his nuptials having been solemnized, in July of that year, to Miss 
Margaret Gilmore, a resident of St. Charles, Minnesota, and a native of 
that state. They are the parents of nine children. Arthur, who is a 
resident of Dayton, Washington; Alexander also resides in that place; 
Vere H. is manager of the State Bank of Farmer; Claude is employed in a 
printing establishment here; and Juniata, Hazel. Genevieve, Ronald and 
George, Jr., remain at the parental home.