Charles A. Randall Biography This biography appears on pages 1273-1274 in "History of South Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net. This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. CHARLES A. RANDALL was born in Logansport, Indiana, on July 9, 1871, and he is the son of Charles H. and Augusta (Thissel) Randall, natives of Massachusetts. The father was a pattern maker and lived in Logansport until the close of his life. The son grew to manhood there and after being graduated from the high school attended an excellent college at Urbana, Illinois, where he pursued a course of special training in architecture. On leaving this institution he went to Chicago and passed three years in an architect's office to get the benefit of practical work in his profession. In 1893 he returned to Logansport and opened an office there, soon becoming one of the leading architects of northern Indiana, his work calling him to all the surrounding towns. He made plans for and built many of the principal public buildings that were erected during his stay there. In 1901 he closed out his interests in Indiana, and coming to Deadwood in this state, formed a partnership with 0. C. Jewett, who had been actively engaged in the profession for a number of years in the Black Hills. In April, 1902, Mr. Jewett died, and since then Mr. Randall has continued the business alone. When it was determined by a number of the leading citizens of Deadwood to build a hotel in the town that would do justice and be a credit to the place, he was asked to draw plans and specifications for the structure, and when he submitted his drawings they were promptly approved, and the hotel was built according to them. This was his first great work in Deadwood, and the house stands a lasting monument to the enterprise of the people of the city and of his own skill and capacity. Since the completion of this edifice his work has constantly increased, and there is already a noticeable improvement in the character of the buildings erected in the city, and there is also excellent promise that this improvement will go on to larger and still better results. He is thoroughly in love with his profession, and approaches every duty in connection with it with the breadth of view and public-spirit of a progressive and far-seeing man, and also with a conscientious devotion to the highest ideals and the most praiseworthy motives.