Samuel Harrison Elrod Biography


	This biography appears on pages 82-85 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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			HON. SAMUEL HARRISON ELROD.  

	Hon. Samuel Harrison Elrod is one of the most modest but most 
popular men of South Dakota. If he has opponents, it is those who do 
not share his political opinions and who believe in machine rule rather 
than in the voice of the people. Those who know him, and he has a wide 
acquaintance throughout the state, usually call him Sam. It is an 
indication of his democratic spirit and manner and it is well known 
that there is no one more appreciative of individual worth in another. 
Business classification places him with the leading lawyers not only of 
Clark county but of the state, for he has comprehensive knowledge of 
the principles or jurisprudence and is accurate in his application of 
these principles to the points in litigation.  

	A native of Indiana, he was born near Coatesville on the 1st of 
May, 1856, and is a son of Jesse F. and Lydia (Pursel) Elrod. The 
father was a farmer by occupation, following that pursuit until his 
death. The mother has also passed away. Samuel H. Elrod pursued his 
early education in the public schools and afterward attended De Pauw 
University of Greencastle, Indiana, being graduated on the 22d of June, 
1882. Eight days later he arrived in Dakota territory, coming to Clark 
county on a construction train on the 3d of July. The same day he was 
admitted to the bar by Judge Kidder at Watertown and he opened a little 
office in Clark. He has since been actively engaged in the practice of 
his profession save when busy with the duties of political office. 
There was not a dwelling in Clark at the time of his arrival and he 
built a little house or shanty before he could really enter actively 
upon his chosen life work. His life has been an extremely busy and 
useful one. His work in the fields in boyhood days was followed by 
close application to his studies.  

	Through the period of his college course and since coming to 
Dakota he has never known an idle day. The Daily Tribune of Salt Lake 
City, Utah, said of him: "A few days after arriving in Clark, where he 
opened a law office and located a preemption, Mr. Elrod made a Fourth 
of July speech to a crowd of settlers on the open prairies (there were 
no public buildings in the town then), and he has been getting 
acquainted with the people of the state ever since." Today there are 
few residents of South Dakota better known and it would be difficult to 
find one who has the confidence and regard of the people in general to 
a greater degree. As the population increased his law business grew and 
for ten years he filled the office of states attorney. He was also 
called to the city council and aided in shaping the policy of the 
municipality. He became a recognized leader in republican circles and 
advanced continuously in that connection until he was made a standard 
bearer of his party in 1904. He received a good majority which put him 
in the gubernatorial chair, where he remained through 1905 and 1906. 
During his term as governor he was chairman of the first capitol 
building committee and dictated the contract for plans for the capitol.  

	While he was a candidate a leading paper of South Dakota said: 
"S. H. Elrod, of Clark county, is a plain, unassuming South Dakotan. He 
is absolutely without pretense. There is a tinge of the Lincoln 
character in him, that free mingling with the common people and that 
everyday plainness that so endeared Lincoln to the masses, Elrod 
possesses a great deal of that same quality. One immediately feels a 
friendly feeling for him. He is warm-hearted, yet conservative; plain 
and unassuming, yet possessing quiet dignity; a man of clean, wholesome 
character, yet a man wise in the ways of the political world; and he is 
honest and sincere." His administration was characterized by various 
needed reforms and improvements and many tangible evidences of his 
public spirit and devotion to the best interests of the commonwealth 
can be cited. The legislature of North Carolina passed a resolution 
formally thanking him for the position he took in his message declaring 
in favor of returning to North Carolina the money forced out of that 
state on some repudiated bonds which were a gift to South Dakota. From 
the standpoint of fairness and decency his position was certainly 
right.  

	The Dakota Farmer paid the following tribute to Governor Elrod 
for his efforts in behalf of the agricultural interests of South 
Dakota. "From the moment Governor S. H. Elrod was sworn ill as the 
chief executive of South Dakota up to the present time, in season and 
out of season, he has stood by every measure that would possibly 
benefit the agricultural interests of his state. Before in these 
columns we enumerated not less than half a dozen distinctly 
agricultural and live-stock measures that had his constant support 
during the last session of the legislature, a number of which, we 
believe, could never have become laws without it, and now we must 
record one more and in our estimation among his crowning achievements 
in this line. We refer to the securing of what was known as the 
'Fishback quarter' of one hundred and sixty acres of splendid land for 
the agricultural college and experiment station at Brookings. This 
splendid piece of land, as many know, was literally located in the very 
heart of the farm school grounds. It came up to the very doors of the 
college buildings on two sides, and was not only in every way perfectly 
adapted to the work and needs of the school but was fast advancing in 
price and being clamored for by many farsighted investors to be laid 
out in building lots. Much more than the price given could have been 
had for it for this purpose. The troubles relating to getting title to 
this land are too complicated to explain. It is enough to say that 
repeatedly, during the long drawn out time this title was in jeopardy, 
the timely and personal interference of the governor saved it from 
going from the state forever."  

	On his retirement from the position of governor, Mr. Elrod 
returned to his home in Clark and resumed the private practice of law, 
in which he has since continued. The position which he occupies in the 
opinion of his fellow townsmen of Clark county is indicated in the fact 
that the township and village of Elrod were named in his honor. 
Fraternally he is a Mason and has attained the Knights Templar degree 
of the York Rite. He also has membership with the Modern Woodmen, the 
Workmen and the Knights of Pythias.  

	On the 11th of November, 1884, Mr. Elrod was united in marriage 
to Miss Mary E. Masten, a daughter of Matthias and Eliza Masten. They 
have become parents of two children: Barbara, at home; and Arthur, who 
is attending the high school.  

	Such in brief is the life history of one whom South Dakota has 
honored with the highest office within the gift of the state. He has 
ever worn his honors with most becoming modesty and at all times he has 
regarded a public office as a public trust — and no trust reposed in 
Samuel Harrison Elrod has ever been betrayed.