John L. Jolley Biography


	This biography appears on pages 118-121 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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				JOHN L. JOLLEY.  

	John L. Jolley, of Vermillion, has given much thought to public 
questions and has taken a part in the making of the laws not only of 
the state but also of the nation. He has served in both houses of the 
state legislature and was a member of congress, filling out an 
unexpired term. He is by profession an attorney and has gained high 
rank at the bar of the state. He was born in Montreal, Canada, July 14, 
1840, a son of James and Frances (Lawlor) Jolley, both of whom were 
natives of Ireland. The father passed away at Hamilton, Ontario, in 
1892, and the mother's death occurred in 1850. They were the parents of 
five children, as follows: Thomas, who died in infancy; John L.; James, 
whose death occurred in 1874; Joseph, who passed away in 1863; and 
Lottie, who died in 1869.  

	John L. Jolley resided in Montreal until he was five years of age 
and lived in the Dominion until he was a youth of seventeen. He 
attended the district schools of Canada, but when twelve years of age 
put aside his text-books and began learning the harness making trade, 
becoming a journeyman when he was only sixteen. After leaving the 
Dominion he went to Wisconsin, where he resided for nine years. While 
living there the Civil war broke out and he enlisted in Company C, 
Twenty-third Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, seeing active service with 
the Union army for three years. His ability to command and his 
gallantry gained him successive promotion until he became second 
lieutenant. He saw much hard fighting and took part in the siege of 
Vicksburg and that of Jackson, Mississippi.  

	After being discharged from the army Mr. Jolley attended a 
commercial school in Chicago for three months, after which he removed 
to Vermillion, South Dakota, arriving there on the 10th of July, 1866. 
He taught school In a log schoolhouse there, which was the first 
permanent school building in the state, and from July, 1866, until 
April, 1873, was employed in the United States land office at 
Vermillion as a clerk. While living in Wisconsin from September, 1858, 
until October, 1861, he studied law in the office of an attorney at 
Portage and when, in 1873, the land office was removed from Vermillion 
he began the practice of his profession in that city, being for four 
decades a member of the bar of South Dakota. At intervals Mr. Jolley 
has been associated with partners, but for the greater part of the time 
he has practiced alone.  

	In 1867 and again in 1868 Mr. Jolley was elected to the house of 
representatives of Dakota territory; in 1874 was elected to the upper 
branch of the legislature of the territorial council and was further 
honored by being made its president. Again, in 1881, he was a member of 
the council, and in 1889, after the admission of the state to the 
Union, he was elected to the state senate, winning reelection in 1890. 
In 1889 he was a member of the constitutional convention held at Sioux 
Falls, South Dakota. He was a member of the fifty second congress, 
filling out John Gamble's unexpired term. In 1912 he was a candidate 
for the state senate from Clay county but was defeated.  

	On the 20th of April, 1874, Mr. Jolley was united in marriage to 
Miss Harriet J. Grange, who was born upon the homestead near Dubuque, 
Iowa. Her father was a farmer throughout his active life, but spent his 
last years in retirement at Vermillion, South Dakota. He died in 1891 
and his widow passed away in 1907. To Mr. and Mrs. Jolley have been 
born the following children: Frances, the wife of C. H. Dillon, of 
Yankton, this state; and Charles W. and Mary P., twins. The former is a 
farmer of Clay county and the latter resides at home. 

	Mr. Jolley is a staunch republican and has been quite prominent 
in state politics. In addition to the offices mentioned he has held 
that of mayor of Vermillion, being the first chief executive of the 
city. He was first elected in 1877 and was again chosen as mayor in 
1885. He has also served for several terms on the school board. He owns 
two farms in Clay county, one comprising three hundred and twenty acres 
and the other two hundred and forty. Both are under cultivation. He 
wears the bronze button that indicates his membership in the Grand Army 
of the Republic and for five terms he served as commander of the local 
post. In 1913 he was elected department commander of the Grand Army of 
the Republic of South Dakota. He is popularly known as Colonel, which 
title was given him when he first began to practice law in Vermillion, 
where he is well known.