Goodman Ellison Biography This biography appears on pages 939-940 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 GOODMAN ELLISON. Goodman Ellison, a well known farmer of Clay county, was born in Pleasant Valley township, that county, August 29, 1869, a son of Bjorne and Anna (Johnson) Ellison, both of whom were natives of Norway. The father was seventeen years of age when, in 1861, he accompanied his parents to America and in that same year enlisted in the Union army for service in the Civil war, remaining at the front for three years. He subsequently took up land on his soldier's right and later proved up on a homestead, ail of his land being located in Clay county. He passed away June 3, 1877, and his widow died many years later, June 19, 1913. They were the parents of five children: Thore O., a farmer of Spirit Mound township, Clay county; Goodman; Albert, who is farming in Clay county; Isaac, an agriculturist of Miner county; and Joseph V., a retired farmer living in Vermillion. In 1878 the mother became the wife of Fred Knutson, a native of Norway, who in 1870 emigrated to the United States and located in South Dakota, taking up a claim in Turner county. He now resides upon the Ellison homestead. To the second marriage of the mother of our subject were born three children: Ingeborg, who died in infancy; Ida, the wife of George Jensen, a farmer of Clay county, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work; and Alice. Goodman Ellison was reared upon the homestead and assisted in the work of the farm until he was twenty-two years of age. His education was limited, as there was little opportunity for obtaining a schooling in those days. When a young man of twenty-two years he bought one hundred and sixty acres of school land, upon which he lived for a year. He then sold that place and bought another quarter section thirteen miles southeast of his first farm. When the second property came into his possession it had but few improvements, but he immediately set to work to develop his place and it is now one of the best farms of the county. The fields are well fenced, everything about the place is kept in excellent condition and the buildings are commodious and well adapted to their purposes. Mr. Ellison owns another farm, which comprises two hundred and forty acres, and it is also all under cultivation. He does general farming and also feeds cattle for the market. He is a stockholder in the Spirit Mound Telephone Company of Clay county and was one of the organizers of the Farmers Elevator Company of Vermillion. On the 16th of March, 1893, Mr. Ellison was married to Miss Carrie Nelson, a native of South Dakota and a daughter of Erick and Matilda (Larson) Nelson, both of whom were born in Norway but emigrated to the United States in 1856. They were among the pioneer settlers of South Dakota and the farmer was a freighter during the Civil war. To their union were born twelve children: Nels, of California; Ole and Lewis, deceased; Rachel, the wife of George Thorson, of Vermillion; Chris, who is farming in Clay county; Mrs. Ellison; Belle, the deceased wife of Peter Leikvold, of Clay county; Ossie, the wife of Harry Hincliffe, a farmer of Clay county; Ole, the second of the name, who is farming near McMinnville, Oregon; Mary, the wife of Roy Piersol, of Clay county; and two who died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Ellison have six children: Etta, who is at home; Terence, who is a graduate of Augustana College at Canton, South Dakota, where he took both the academic and business courses, and is assisting his father with the work of the farm; and Amy, Elmer, Lester and Amos, who are attending the district school. Mr. Ellison is liberal in his political views, owing no allegiance to any party leader. He has served upon the school board for nine years and now is clerk of that body. His religious allegiance is given to the Lutheran church and he takes an active part in its work. He finds much pleasure in motoring and has attained a degree of prosperity that permits him considerable leisure time. He values even more than his material success the goodwill and esteem of his fellow citizens, who know him to be a man of upright character and sterling worth.