George D. Stelle Biography


	This biography appears on pages 648-649 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. I (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	GEORGE D. STELLE, one of the prominent and popular farmers and 
pioneers of Spink county, is one of the brave "boys in blue" who went 
forth in defense of the Union when its integrity was in jeopardy 
through the armed rebellion of the Confederacy, while his is the 
distinction of being a native of the national metropolis. He was born 
in New York city, on the 8th of April, 1843, and is a son of Jeremiah 
D. Stelle, who was likewise born in that city, where he was reared and 
educated and where he remained until the latter part of 1843, when he 
removed to Middlesex county, New Jersey, where he followed agricultural 
pursuits during the remainder of his life. Our subject was an infant of 
about six months at the time of his parents' removal to New Jersey, and 
there he was reared to the sturdy discipline of the farm, receiving his 
educational training in the common schools of the locality. In August, 
1862, at the age of nineteen years he enlisted as a private in Company 
C, Twenty-eighth New Jersey Volunteer Infantry, commanded by Colonel M. 
N. Wisewell. He proceeded with his regiment to the city of Washington 
and for three months the command was assigned to duty in the guarding 
of bridges which afforded access to the national capital. They then 
proceeded into Virginia: and took part in the battle of Fredericksburg, 
where Mr. Stelle was wounded. He was sent back to Washington and placed 
in the hospital, while he was assigned to the invalid corps. He began 
to recuperate his energies and made a strenuous protest against being 
kept away from his regiment, the result being that he was permitted to 
return to the front, joining his command in time to take part in the 
memorable battle of Chancellorsville, and thence following in pursuit 
of Lee and participating in the battle of Gettysburg. Thereafter the 
regiment remained for some time at Harper's Ferry, and then returned to 
Washington, where Mr. Stelle was taken ill, receiving his honorable 
discharge in July, 1864. He then returned to his home in New Jersey, 
where he remained a short time and then removed to Illinois, where he 
was engaged in farming for the ensuing three years, at the expiration 
of which he became interested in lumbering in Michigan, where he passed 
four years. He then passed one year in Illinois, from which state he 
removed to Benton county, Indiana, where he followed agricultural 
pursuits until 1881, when he came to South Dakota and took up 
government land six miles southeast of Mellette, Spink county, 
adjoining that of William Bird, who is mentioned on other pages of this 
work, and here he now cultivates a farm of two hundred and forty acres, 
devoted to diversified agriculture and to the raising of high-grade 
live stock. He is a Republican in his political proclivities and 
fraternally is identified with the Grand Army of the Republic.  

	On the 15th of January, 1879, Mr. Steele was united in marriage 
to Miss Adelaide Calhoon, who was born and reared in Will county, 
Illinois, being a daughter of Stephen Calhoon, one of the early 
settlers in Michigan and later a pioneer of South Dakota. Mr. and Mrs. 
Stelle became the parents of eight children, namely: Florence Lillian 
(deceased), William Earl, Jennie Weltha, Ruth Elizabeth, Agnes Opal, 
Vena E., Blanche and Margaret E.