Philip A. Chaussee Biography This biography appears on pages 453-454 in "History of Dakota Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. IV (1915) 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. This file is part of the SDGENWEB Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://usgwarchives.org/sd/sdfiles.htm PHILIP A. CHAUSSEE. Among the enterprising and progressive farmers of Fairview township, Clay county, is numbered Philip A. Chaussee, who was born in that county, January 3, 1868, a son of Abraham and Rose (Bruyer) Chaussee, the former a native of Canada and the latter of France. The father is also of French descent. He has followed agricultural pursuits throughout his entire life. Upon leaving the Dominion he came to the states and located at Dubuque, Iowa, but in 1862 removed to South Dakota and settled in Union county. He later went to Clay county and bought two hundred and forty acres in what is now Fairview township. He was among the early pioneers of that section and he and his wife now live in Vermillion, where they are passing the evening of their lives in well earned rest and leisure. They are the parents of four children: Philip A., of this review; John, a farmer of Clay county; Rose, the wife of W. C. Huyck, postmaster of Vermillion; and Louis, who lives upon the old home place in Clay county. Philip A. Chaussee was reared upon his father's farm and attended district school no. 8, which was located near the homestead. When twenty years of age he put aside his textbooks and devoted his entire time to assisting his father with the farm work until his marriage. After that event he purchased a farm of one hundred and sixty acres-- the place which is still his residence - and in the years that have intervened since it came into his possession has made many improvements and has brought the land to a high state of cultivation. He has bought additional land, now owning three hundred and sixty acres in Clay county and one hundred and sixty acres in Union county. Corn is his principal crop but he also raises other things. He has altogether three hundred acres under cultivation and the sale of his crops brings him a good income annually. He was one of the organizers of the Farmers Elevator Company of Vermillion. Mr. Chaussee was married in 1892 to Miss Ollie Gunderson, a native of Union county, South Dakota, and a daughter of the Hon. Ole and Lina (Olson) Gunderson. The father was a well-to-do farmer and served for two terms in the state legislature. He has passed to his reward but the mother is living in Vermillion. Mr. and Mrs. Chaussee have seven children, namely: Ina, who is bookkeeper and cashier for a business house in Vermillion; Esther, a student at the University of South Dakota; Bertha and Wilfred, who are attending the high school at Vermillion; and Eleanor, Robert and Richard, all of whom are public- school students. Mr. Chaussee has taken a great interest in the affairs of his township. He has served upon the township board and is now township supervisor, which office he has held for thirteen years, and for three years was a member of the school board. He is respected by all who know him because of the sterling traits of character that be has manifested and is liked for his many agreeable personal qualities.