F. D. Wyman Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1067-1069 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.


	F. D. WYMAN is the scion of one of the oldest families in the United 
States, the history of his ancestry being traceable in an unbroken line 
to Lieutenant John Weyman (as the name was originally spelled), a tanner 
by trade, the date of whose marriage, in November, 1644, appears on the 
old official records of Middlesex county, Massachusetts, preserved in 
the archives of Woburn, that state. Of the preceding history of this 
ancestor nothing definite is known, but from the most reliable 
information obtainable he subsequently appears to have been a man of 
considerable consequence in his community, and, from his title, to have 
been connected with the early military service of the colony. Among his 
immediate descendants was a son by the name of Jacob, who also became a 
tanner and who spent his life in his native town of Woburn. A son of 
Jacob Weyman, also Jacob by name, was born at the above place, September 
11, 1688, but of him little is known beyond the fact of his having 
married, and reared sons and daughters, one of the former being Daniel, 
who for a number of years operated a saddlery shop at Sudbury, 
Massachusetts, and who afterwards served from 1757 to 1759, inclusive, 
as a sergeant in the French and Indian war. His son, Daniel, Jr., born 
at Sudbury, was a millwright and builder, also a soldier, having joined 
the American army at the age of nineteen and taken part in Arnold's ill-
starred invasion of Canada, during the early part of the Revolution. 
This Daniel married and reared a family, among his sons being one who 
was also given the name of Daniel, and who, like his father, became a 
millwright and builder Joseph Weyman, son of the third Daniel, was a 
soldier in the war of 1812, and for a livelihood followed the same 
pursuits as did his father and grandfather before him, working at his 
trades for a number of years in Schoharie, New York. David Weyman, son 
of Joseph, and father of the subject of this review, was born in New 
York, removed with his parents when a child to Crown Point, that state, 
and, when a young man, took up the trades to which his ancestors had for 
so long a period devoted their attention, to-wit, building and equipping 
of mills. He followed his chosen calling in his native state until about 
the year 1844, when he removed to Walworth county, Wisconsin, where in 
addition to the manufacture of flour he carried on farming. 
Subsequently, 1865, he disposed of his interests in Walworth county, and 
took up his residence in Schuyler county, Missouri, where he devoted his 
attention chiefly to agricultural pursuits, until his death, which 
occurred on the 21st day of January, 1871. He was a man of intelligence 
and good judgment, successful in his business affairs and a most 
estimable citizen. In politics he was a Republican and an active party 
worker and in religion he subscribed to the Baptist faith and for many 
years was an earnest and sincere member of the church. The maiden name 
of Mrs. David Weyman was Betsy M. Braley; she bore her husband eight 
children, the following being the living representatives of the family: 
Mrs. Hickox, of Ocola, Iowa; F. D., of this review; Mrs. Adelia Murphy, 
of Frederick, Kansas, and J. Henry, who lives at St. Charles, Iowa.  

	F. D. Wyman was born in Essex county, New York, on the 14th of 
June, 1841. He enjoyed the advantages of a common-school education, and 
after remaining with his parents until nineteen years of age, severed 
home ties and taught for one year at Byron, Illinois. He then worked his 
way as far as Des Moines, Iowa, supporting himself and paying his 
expenses by teaching vocal music at his various stopping places, and to 
this manner of life he gave his attention until the breaking out of the 
great Civil war, when he tendered his services to his country in its 
time of need. In August, 1861, he enlisted in Company K, Eighth 
Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, with which he bravely and honorably served 
until August, 1865,865, a period of three years, during which time he 
took part in some of the most celebrated campaigns of the rebellion, 
participating in thirty-three battles, among the more notable of which 
were Fort Donelson, Shiloh, the two engagements at Corinth, the various 
battles of the Red River expedition, siege of Vicksburg, Chattanooga, 
Nashville, Tuscumibia, Iuka and many others, to say nothing of 
skirmishes and minor engagements. The regiment to which Mr. Wyman 
belonged gained a national reputation on account of the live eagle, "Old 
Abe," which was carried at his head during the war, and which, stuffed, 
has since been preserved as an interesting and priceless war relic in 
the state house at Madison, Wisconsin.  

	Mr. Wyman was mustered out of the service at Uniontown, Alabama, 
but, unlike the great majority of his comrades and Union soldiers 
generally, he did not return home, choosing rather to remain in the 
south, where he felt convinced money could be made raising cotton, for 
which there was such a great demand immediately following the war. 
Locating in Perry county, Alabama, he at once engaged in cotton culture, 
and in addition thereto soon became interested in the public affairs of 
that section of the state. He had a varied and interesting experience, 
and during his six years' residence in the south was honored with 
several important official positions, in all of which he acquitted 
himself worthily and won the esteem and confidence of the people. He 
served two years in the state senate, where he made a creditable record, 
and was also elected superintendent of the Perry county public schools. 
While serving in the latter capacity' he organized the local 
educational. system, introduced many reforms and valuable modern 
innovations, secured teachers of recognized professional ability from 
the north, and before the expiration of his term placed the schools upon 
the solid and successful basis which they have ever since enjoyed. Mr. 
Wyman also held the office of revenue assessor while a resident of 
Alabama, discharging the duties of the same about two years, and for the 
same length of time served as sheriff of Perry county, resigning the 
latter position in 1871, when he moved to Schuyler county, Missouri. 
After living about two and a half years in the latter state, Mr. Wyman, 
in the fall of 1873, came to South Dakota, bringing with him a herd of 
horses for the Yankton market. Choosing this city for his permanent 
location, he at once began buying and shipping live stock on quite an 
extensive scale, and in connection therewith also opened a meat market 
which soon became the leading establishment of the kind in the place. To 
him belongs the credit of shipping the first carload of cattle that ever 
left Yankton by rail and he has since followed the business with a large 
measure of success financially, being still engaged in the handling of. 
live stock of all kinds, also running a meat market, the patronage of 
which has steadily increased with the city's growth. In addition to the 
enterprises noted, he has large agricultural interests in the vicinity 
of Yankton.  

	Mr. Wyman has been an unswerving supporter of the Republican party 
ever since old enough to exercise the right of franchise, and it was in 
recognition of his valuable services as an organizer, manager and leader 
as well as by reason of his personal qualifications, that he was honored 
with the several official positions referred to in preceding paragraphs. 
In September, 1898, he was appointed steward of the State Hospital for 
the Insane at Yankton and held the office for one year, when a change of 
administration caused his removal with that of others connected with the 
institution. Subsequently, however, in the spring of 1901, he was 
reappointed to the same position, and since that time has attended 
closely to his line of duty, his official course being straightforward, 
business-like, eminently honorable, and above the slightest suspicion of 
anything savoring of disrepute. In 1886 Mr. Wyman was elected sheriff of 
Yankton county and served as such for a period of six years, having been 
twice chosen his own successor. In 1894 he was sent to the general 
assembly and served during the exciting session of that year, taking an 
active part in all the deliberations of the body, working on important 
committees, besides introducing bills which becoming laws, have had a 
decided influence in promoting the interests of the state. He is a 
member of Phil Kearney Post, No. 37, Grand Army of the Republic, also 
belonging to the Knights of Pytllias and the Modern Woodmen of America.  

	While a resident of the south, Mr. Wyman, in 1866, married a 
cultured southern lady by the name of Miss Mattie C. Robertson, a 
representative of an old and popular family of Uniontown, Alabama. To 
this marriage six children have been born, only three of whom are 
living, namely: Mattie M., wife of F. A. Klopping, of Yankton; Albert 
Lee, a prominent attorney of the same city, and Lute A., who is engaged 
in buying and shipping stock at this point.