Charles T. Oldham Biography


	This biography appears on page 1868 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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	CHARLES T. OLDHAM, one of the honored pioneers of Charles Mix 
county, was born in Lawrence county, Illinois, on the 22d of December, 
1849, and was about five years of age at the time of his parents' 
removal to Iowa, and as the state was at the time but slightly settled 
his educational advantages in his youth were limited. There he learned 
the trade of cabinet-making, to which he devoted his attention in that 
locality until 1868, when he made a tour through Kansas and Missouri, 
working at his trade in various places until he came to what is now 
Charles Mix county, South Dakota, where he secured land, under 
homestead, pre-emption and timber culture entries. Subsequently he 
purchased an entire section of land in the county. He owns at the 
present time about twelve hundred acres of rich bottom land on the 
Missouri river, and has the greater portion of his land under 
cultivation, and is also one of the successful cattle raisers of this 
section, having been energetic and progressive and having been 
successful in both departments of his farming enterprise. In politics 
Mr. Oldham was formerly a Democrat, but he is now a staunch advocate of 
the socialistic principles of the high type represented in the modern 
movement. In 1878 he was elected sheriff of the county, but failed to 
qualify, the population of the county being so small that all officers 
followed the same course, the object being to keep down the rate of 
taxation.

	Mr. Oldham was united in marriage to Miss Archambean, who died, 
leaving three children. Mr. Oldham subsequently married Mrs. Victoria 
Montaug, widow of Adolphus Montaug.