John A. Phelps Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1675-1676 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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	JOHN A. PHELPS, one of the interested principals in the Hartford 
Milling Company, at Hartford, Minnehaha county, is a native of the state 
of Minnesota, having been born in Shelton, Houston county, on the 1st of 
February, 1863, a son of John and Julia (Lyon) Phelps. The father died 
in 1899, and the mother is living at Richville, Washington. The subject 
attended the public schools of his native town until he had completed a 
course in the high school, and at the age of eighteen years he 
identified himself with the milling business there, working in various 
mills in Minnesota and gaining a thorough knowledge of the business in 
all its details. In 1886 he came to Madison, South Dakota, and there 
held the position of head miller in the Madison roller mills until 
April, 1902, when he came to Hartford and associated himself with Duncan 
A. McGillidray in the erection of the finely equipped roller-process 
mill which is now operated by them under the title of the Hartford 
Milling Company, our subject having the supervision of the operation of 
the mill, which is one of the best in this section, having a capacity 
for the output of one hundred barrels of flour per day, while the 
various brands manufactured have gained a high reputation, so that the 
business of the company is constantly increasing in scope and 
importance. Mr. Phelps is a staunch advocate of the principles and 
policies of the Republican party, in whose cause he takes an active 
interest, though he has never desired the honors or emoluments of public 
office. Fraternally he is affiliated with Hartford Lodge, Free and 
Accepted Masons, at Hartford, and with the chapter, Royal Arch Masons, 
at Madison, South Dakota. 

	On the 25th of August, 1887, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. 
Phelps to Miss Elva Berry, of Money Creek, Minnesota, and she was 
summoned into eternal rest on the 25th of October, 1892, being survived 
by her only child, Hazel May, who was born on the 16th of March, 1891.