Joseph Muggli Biography


	This biography appears on pages 684-687 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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				JOSEPH MUGGLI.

	The name of Joseph Muggli is inseparably connected with that of 
the Badus colony, and though he is now living retired in Ramona, he was 
for many years actively identified with business interests and public 
affairs in Lake county. In 1877 a company of Swiss colonists located 
temporarily at Stillwater, Minnesota, whence they sent representatives 
to South Dakota to "spy out" the "promised land " They reported 
favorably on Lake county, South Dakota, and the township of Badus in 
the northern part was chosen as a desirable location. In their native 
land the narrow valleys and high mountains were much in contrast with 
the broad, fertile prairies of South Dakota. Lake Badus, covering about 
a square mile, attracted them and about its shores they located their 
first claims, and the rich and fertile farms today testify to their 
wise choice. This Badus settlement soon became the religious, 
commercial and social center for miles around. The settlers were 
thrifty and prospered, some of the first becoming wealthy and highly 
respected citizens of the county. Such good reports went back to 
Stillwater, Minnesota, that in April, 1878, ten other men came and 
filed on claims near Lake Badus. Jacob Muggli was one of the organizers 
of the colony and helped to build the first houses, lumber being hauled 
from Luverne, Minnesota, a distance of seventy-five miles. Many sod 
houses were erected and about five acres of land was planted on each 
claim the first fall. The colony was incorporated that it might make 
settlement improvements, build a church, school and colony house. Each 
male over twenty-one years of age filed on two claims- a homestead and 
a timber claim- and as far as possible chose land touching the lake. 
The first building of a public nature was a schoolhouse, used also for 
church purposes, and the first mass was said by Father Brogan of Sioux 
Falls in 1880. The following year Father Flynn, of Madison, South 
Dakota, became the regular priest and continued until succeeded by 
Father Collins, of Ramona. In the colony house, in 1878, Joseph Muggli 
opened a settlement store which he managed under contract for two 
years, and he also served as the first postmaster of Badus, receiving 
his commission from Washington, May 15, 1879. The colony house was 
burned in 1884 and was never rebuilt. In 1879 a prairie fire suddenly 
swept down on the settlement, and to save themselves the women and 
children waded into the lake, while the men fought the flames in an 
effort to save the settlement, but all of the frame buildings were 
destroyed, only the sod houses remaining intact. All the hay supply was 
burned, and as their only fuel was twisted hay, it was with difficulty 
that enough fuel to cook a meal was obtainable after the fire. Many 
advantages came to the little colony through Mr. Muggli, whose energy 
and loyalty to his fellows was ever in evidence.  

	In the land of the Alps Mr. Muggli was born, reared and married, 
but believing that he could better his condition in the new world, he 
emigrated to the United States in 1872, accompanied by his wife, Mrs. 
Anna Muggli, and their children. Crossing the Atlantic, they proceeded 
westward and first settled in Stillwater, Minnesota. Six years later 
they came to South Dakota with the colony and Mr. Muggli filed on the 
southeast quarter of section 13, township 108, range 53, as a 
homestead. He also secured a tree claim covering the southeast quarter 
of section 5, township 108, range 53, and thus with three hundred and 
twenty acres in his possession he lived a busy life, cultivating and 
improving his farm until 1910, when he retired and took up his abode in 
Ramona, where he and his wife and two daughters are now living.  

	He is one of the honored and well known pioneer settlers of Lake 
county and was the president of the Badus colony for some time. He has 
ever taken a deep and commendable interest in public affairs and for 
two terms, from 1891 until 1894, filled the office of treasurer of Lake 
county, discharging his duties in that connection in a most prompt, 
capable and commendable manner.