William and Fred H. Meyer Biographies


	These biographies appears on pages 1299-1301 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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	WILLIAM MEYER, deceased, traveler, explorer, pioneer, miner, 
farmer and stock raiser, was a native of Germany, born in the province 
of Hanover, on the 3d day of May, 1831. During his youthful years he 
attended the schools of his native land, and at the age of sixteen ran 
away from home and made his way to the United States, reaching this 
country in 1847 and spending the ensuing two years in Cincinnati, Ohio. 
While in that city, young Meyer turned his hands to any kind of work he 
could find to do, but becoming somewhat tired of the life he was obliged 
to lead, and desiring to see more of the world, especially the great 
west, which was then attracting people from all parts of this country 
and Europe, by reason of the discovery of gold in California, he joined, 
in 1849, a company of adventurous spirits and started overland for the 
New Eldorado. He was the youngest member of the party, being but 
eighteen at the time, yet he manfully held up his part of the work, 
endured the hardships of travel with the fortitude of a veteran, and 
shared the vicissitudes of the long, tiresome and trying journey much 
better than the majority of his comrades. 

	Mr. Meyer was one of the first to reach the California gold 
region, and for a number of years thereafter he devoted his attention to 
placer mining in various parts of the country, meeting with good success 
at times, but occasionally experiencing discouraging reverses in which 
he lost much of his hard-earned wealth. After remaining in California 
about thirteen years, he became animated by a strong desire to go to 
Alaska, where rich finds had been located a short time previously, but 
to reach that far-away, sterile country meant a journey of hardships and 
dangers more numerous and of much greater magnitude than those 
experienced while crossing the plains. Nothing daunted, however, he and 
two other young men as brave and daring as himself procured an outfit 
and in 1862 started for the far north, going through British Columbia, 
thence over a wild, rough and in many places almost impassable country, 
which until they penetrated it had never been explored by white men. 
After many dreary weeks and months in the wilderness, suffering from 
fatigue, hunger, cold and other vicissitudes, the three finally reached 
their destination and at once proceeded to search for gold by the placer 
method. The country being virgin territory, they were fortunate in 
locating a good claim and applying themselves diligently to the work 
before them, it was not long until each found himself the possessor of 
what miners are wont to term a "rich stake." Amply repaid for their 
trip, the little company, after a year's experience, returned to 
California, where the subject resumed mining, continuing the same until 
1868, when he went to Virginia City, Montana, near which place he 
operated for some time in what is known as the Alder gulch. After 
spending two years in various parts of Montana, Mr. Meyer, in 1870, took 
up land on Meadow creek, not far from Virginia City, and engaged in 
farming, but after seeing his crops eaten up by the grasshoppers, he 
discontinued tilling the soil and entered the employ of the government 
at the Crow agency. 

	In the spring of 1876 Mr. Meyer again started out in search of 
gold, being one of a party of two hundred who went to the Black Hills, 
going via Spearfish and arriving at their objective point the month of 
May following. After spending that summer in Deadwood Mr. Meyer and a 
friend by the name of Fletcher bought an outfit for cutting and making 
hay and, beginning operations on Bear Butte creek, they succeeded in 
putting up during the fall about two hundred and fifty tons, from the 
sale of which they realized handsome profits. To market the hay cost 
them about fifty dollars per ton, but once in Deadwood it found ready 
purchase at from one hundred to one hundred and fifty dollars a ton, the 
margin amply compensating them for their labors and the necessary 
expenditures. 

	Mr. Meyer in the spring of 1877 built a small house at the mouth of 
Boulder canon, on Bear Butte creek, to which he soon removed his family, 
but his experience at this place was by no means encouraging as the 
Indians that fall burned about one hundred and fifty tons of hay, which 
he had stacked along the creek, and not long afterwards stole all of his 
mules, seven in number, also several head of cattle, leaving him 
entirely destitute of live stock, which greatly crippled his further 
efforts in the business of hay making. Thinking to recover his animals 
by laying the matter before the proper authorities, he walked a long 
distance to the Indian agency, but his efforts proving absolutely 
futile, the redskin disclaiming all knowledge of the theft and nothing 
was done to compensate him for the loss. 

	In the year 1877 Mr. Meyer located the ranch six miles east of 
Sturgis on which he spent the remainder of his life, removing his family 
to the same the following year. He inaugurated and carried to successful 
issue a system of improvements which in due time made his ranch one of 
the finest and most valuable in the western part of the state, a 
reputation it has since sustained. Among these improvements is a large 
and commodious stone residence which, supplied with all the comforts and 
modern conveniences obtainable, is one of the most attractive and 
desirable country dwellings in Meade county, his barns and other 
buildings also being, of modern design, well constructed and admirably 
adapted to meet the purpose for which intended. On removing to this 
place, Mr. Meyer again turned his j attention to agriculture and stock 
raising and met with encouraging success from the beginning, the Indians 
never troubling him again, nor did he suffer any reverses from failure 
of crops or from other sources. He continued making improvements and 
adding to the value of his land as long as he lived, also increased his 
live stock until he enjoyed the reputation of being one of the most 
successful agriculturists and cattle raisers in the valley, of which 
himself and Mr. Fletcher were the original settlers. 

	Mr. Meyer was married in Virginia City, Montana, on March 3, 1870, 
to Miss Amelia Meyer, also a native of Germany, one child resulting from 
this union, a son by the name of Fred H., whose birth occurred on the 
13th of April, 1873. After a long, active and useful life, fruitful of 
great good to the people with whom he mingled and the community at 
large, Mr. Meyer, on July 16, 1896, passed gently into the valley of 
shadows, and three years later, lacking one day, his faithful wife 
followed him to the silent land and now lies by his side amid the quiet 
shades of the beautiful cemetery at Sturgis. 

	Fred H. Meyer, whose birth is noted in a preceding paragraph, 
first saw the light of day at Meadow Creek near Virginia City, Montana, 
and spent his early years at that place, and on the farm at Bear Butte 
creek, receiving his preliminary education in the latter locality. 
Subsequently he attended the public schools of St. Louis, Missouri, the 
training thus received being supplemented by a course in a normal school 
at Spearfish, South Dakota, after which he assisted his father in 
running the ranch until the latter's death, when he succeeded to the 
ownership of the property. He carries on successfully the work so 
auspiciously begun, has added much to the value and attractiveness of 
the home and is continually making improvements which speak well for his 
energy and public spirit. Mr. Meyer is recognized as one of the rising 
men of Meade county, and has already a well-established reputation in 
business and social circles, his standing as a farmer and stock raiser 
being second to that of none of his contemporaries, while as a citizen 
deeply interested in everything concerning the welfare of the community, 
his influence has ever been exerted in behalf of the right as he sees 
and understands the right. A worthy son of a worthy sire and inheriting 
many of the latter's sterling attributes and sturdy characteristics, he 
lives as becomes an intelligent and progressive member of society, and 
thus far in life has brought no discredit to the good name his family 
has long borne, but on the contrary by an upright course of conduct has 
continuously added to its luster and enhanced its honor. Mr. Meyer was 
married on the 22d day of December, 1898 to Miss Amelia Berger, a native 
of Germany, who was brought to this country when quite young, and who 
has borne him two children, William F. and Francis L.