George Henry Brace Biography


	This biography appears on pages 891-892 in "History of Dakota 
	Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. IV (1915) and was 
	scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				GEORGE HENRY BRACE. 

	George Henry Brace was one of the successful men of Sioux Falls. 
Not all days in his career were equally bright, for at times he saw 
gathering the storm clouds that threatened disaster, yet he managed to 
turn seeming defeats into victories and his life on the whole was 
crowned with a most gratifying measure of success, attributable 
entirely to his careful management, his keen discrimination and his 
unfaltering business enterprise. 

	He was born in Orleans county, New York, on the 26th of July, 
1838, and following his graduation from the public schools entered 
business life. At the age of twenty-one years he became interested in 
the dry-goods business as a partner in the firm of Sickles &; Company, 
dry-goods merchants of Albion, New York, where he remained until 
removing to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, on the 23d of May, 1885. With 
the business conditions of this place he had previously acquainted 
himself and on his arrival here was made president of the Dakota 
National Bank, in which capacity he served until the 21st of December, 
1895, when, owing to two years of pressure, the bank failed, there 
being an indebtedness of many thousand dollars. He did not put the 
thought of this aside as something irrevocable, but immediately began 
plans to meet the obligations. By the most untiring efforts and the 
closest economy practiced by himself and wife they were at length able 
to discharge all their financial obligations, paying off seventy-five 
thousand dollars and thus keeping unsullied the honorable name which he 
had ever borne in business affairs. 

	When the indebtedness was paid off Mr. Brace continued to give 
his attention to the loan and real-estate business and from that time 
on had growing property interests, making numerous investments as 
opportunity offered. 

	It was at Knowlesville, New York, in 1865, that Mr. Brace was 
united in marriage to Miss Mary C. Gillette, a native of that state. 
They lost their only child. His will left his wife the major part of 
his possessions, but also made bequests to the Indian mission school, 
an Episcopal institution; the Children's Home; the synod of the 
Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran church; the Sioux Falls University; and 
the library of Sioux Falls. He also gave liberally to the Masonic 
fraternity to help worthy members, widows and orphans in Sioux Falls. 
Although in ill health for some time he continued to look after his 
business affairs up to within three weeks of his death, which occurred 
on the 5th of February, 1910. 

	Mr. Brace was a Mason, having joined the order in New York state, 
and he was ever loyal to the teachings of the craft concerning mutual 
helpfulness and brotherly kindness. He had no political aspirations, 
yet he was not neglectful of the duties of citizenship; in fact was 
public spirited and very active in the interest of projects that tended 
to promote the welfare and upbuilding of South Dakota. He held 
membership in the Presbyterian church in Albion, New York, and was a 
man of the highest character, leaving behind him the priceless heritage 
of an untarnished name. With him honor and integrity were ever above 
success and in matters of citizenship the public welfare was before 
personal aggrandizement.