Elmer W. Monfore Biography


	This biography appears on page 1081 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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	ELMER W. MONFORE, a well-known and highly respected citizen of 
Springfield, Bon Homme county, was born in the town of Center Lisle, 
Broome county, New York, on the 18th of November, 1853, being a son of 
Peter and Diana A. (Howland) Monfore, of whose eight children seven are 
living, namely: Emerson J., who resides at Waverly, Kansas; Elmer W., 
who is the subject of this review; Cora A., who is the wife of Clark S. 
Rowe, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Lana H., who is the wife of Alfred 
Burkholder, of that city; Alice A., who is the wife of Charles McBeth, 
of Mankato, Minnesota; Luna B., who is the wife of Professor Joseph W. 
Whiting, a member of the faculty of the normal school in Springfield, 
South Dakota; and Peter G., who is likewise a resident of this place.  
The father of the subject was born in Delaware county, New York, in 
1821, and in the old Empire state he learned the trade of miller. In 
1865 he came west to Putnam county, Illinois, where he was engaged in 
farming for the ensuing three years, at the expiration of which he 
removed to Marion county, Iowa, where he remained about two years and 
then came to South Dakota, locating in Springfield, and he was 
thereafter employed for a number of years by the government as miller at 
the Santee Indian agency and later at the Ponca agency, after which he 
lived a retired life in Springfield until his death, which occurred in 
1895. On coming here he took up homestead and tree-culture claims, while 
at the time of his death he had recently disposed of three hundred and 
twenty acres of excellent land near Springfield. In politics he was a 
stanch Republican, and he was a man who ever commanded unqualified 
esteem. His wife was born in Broome county, New York, and is now living 
with a married daughter at Mankato, Minnesota. 

	Elmer W. Monfore was about twelve years of age at the time his 
parents came from New York to Illinois, and his early educational 
training was secured in the common schools and supplemented by a course 
in Bryant & Stratton's Business College in Des Moines, Iowa. After 
coming to South Dakota he devoted his attention to farm work for about 
five years, and later he was employed, for varying intervals, in the 
mercantile establishments of D. W. Currier, M. H. Day and P. M. Liddy, 
all of Springfield, the last mentioned having succeeded Mr. Day. In 1881 
he engaged in business for himself, conducting a drug and grocery store 
here for two years, at the expiration of which he admitted to 
partnership in the enterprise his cousin, Edward C. Monfore, the firm 
title of E. W. Monfore & Company being adopted at that time. This 
partnership continued until January 1, 1903, when the firm disposed of 
the business, since which time our subject has had no active business 
associations. In politics he is a Republican and he has served as a 
member of the board of aldermen of Springfield and also as treasurer of 
the town and as a member of the board of education. He and his wife are 
valued members of the First Congregational church, and fraternally he is 
identified with Mount Zion Lodge, No. 6, Free and Accepted Masons; 
Scotland Chapter, No. 52, Royal Arch Masons; Springfield Lodge, No. 7, 
Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and Deborah Lodge, No. 52, Daughters 
of Rebekah; Springfield Lodge, Knights of Pythias, and Springfield 
Chapter, No. 11, Order of the Eastern Star.  

	On the 16th of October, 1883, Mr. Monfore was united in marriage 
to Miss Emma R. Seccombe, of Springfield, and they became the parents of 
four children: Charles E. (died February 6, 1904), Alberta A., Fred H. 
and Millicent L.