Cyrus C. Puckett Biography This biography appears on pages 14-15 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 CYRUS C. PUCKETT. Cyrus C. Puckett is one of the representative men of Tyndall, South Dakota, where he is engaged in the practice of law and is also editor of an up-to-date and reliable weekly newspaper. His great- grandfather, Daniel Puckett, was a Quaker, who, hating slavery, removed from South Carolina to southeastern Indiana about 1800. His son, the grandfather of our subject, was Cyrus Puckett, who married Bettie Thomas, and they became the parents of Cyrus J. Puckett, who was born in Fountain county, Indiana, December 26, 1840. In 1848 the last named was taken by his parents from Indiana to Jo Daviess county, Illinois, the trip being made by team, as there were then no railroads in that part of the country. Although he was but eight years old at the time, he remembers a deer which was running about the yard of the hotel in Chicago at which they stopped, and he also remembers that a guest of the hotel placed him upon the deer's back and that the deer allowed him to ride there. An uncle of C. J. Puckett, Levi Coffin by name, kept one of the stations of the underground railway in Indiana, thus helping many escaping slaves to reach Canada and freedom. It was he who gave shelter to the original of the character of Eliza in Mrs. Stowe's "Uncle Tom's Cabin." The young woman in question actually made her escape across the Ohio river much as described in the famous novel and Mr. Coffin assisted her on her way north. Cyrus J. Puckett married Elizabeth Deetz, a daughter of William and Mary (Kleese) Deetz and a native of Sullivan county, Pennsylvania. The Deetz family was early established in this country and all of its men proved their patriotism by active participation in the war of the Revolution. C. J. Puckett removed from Jo Daviess county, Illinois, to Hutchinson county, South Dakota, in 1884, buying three hundred and twenty acres of land situated two miles north of Scotland. He at once became recognized as a leader in progressive farming in the state and was the first to demonstrate that corn could be profitably grown here. He also set out the first orchard in the region and sowed the first meadow of timothy and clover. He was likewise interested in educational advancement and was one of the founders of Scotland Academy, serving also as trustee of the institution. In 1901 he took up his abode in Vermillion and there still makes his home. C. J. Puckett was twice married and by his first wife had three sons, namely: Frank, a banker of Hosmer, South Dakota; Walter, an agriculturist of Roundup, Montana; and Willard, who follows farming at Stillwater; North Dakota. To Mr. Puckett and his second wife were born two sons: Cyrus C., of this review; and Owen, a civil engineer of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Cyrus C. Puckett was born in Jo Daviess county, Illinois, January 25, 1882, and was but two years of age when brought by his parents to Hutchinson county, this state. He received his elementary education in the common schools of the neighborhood and was later for two years a student in Scotland Academy and for one year in Warren Academy, Jo Daviess county, Illinois. His collegiate and professional work was done at the State University of South Dakota, located at Vermillion, where he studied for four years, being graduated with the Bachelor of Arts degree in 1905. While still a student in the university he spent the summers from 1903 to 1905 on a claim in Edmunds county, South Dakota, thus securing valuable experience and making enough money to partially pay his college expenses. After 1905 he entered the postal service at Vermillion and was identified therewith until 1909. He took up the study of law after 1907 and received the LL. B. degree upon the completion of his course in 1910. Upon his admission to the bar in that year he opened an office in Tyndall, where he has since been building up a growing law practice. In 1911 he formed a partnership with Dr. Klima and W. W. French in purchasing the Tyndall Tribune, which paper they have since published together. Mr. Puckett has charge of the editorial work, Dr. Klima the operating department and Mr. French the business management of the paper. It is a well edited and well conducted country weekly, giving to its subscribers not only a full account of local happenings but also keeping them informed as to the great events occurring in the world at large. Its editorials are potent forces in promoting many worthy enterprises and always seek the advancement of Bon Homme county and the state of South Dakota. As it has a wide circulation and is recognized as one of the best advertising mediums of the county, it is accorded a liberal patronage by local merchants. Mr. Puckett is a republican in polities and his religious allegiance is given to the Congregational church. Fraternally he belongs to the Masonic order, being a member and master of Tyndall Lodge, A. F. & A. M., and likewise a member of the chapter at Vermillion. He also belongs to the well known college fraternity, Beta Theta Pi. He recalls the fearful blizzard which occurred January 12, 1888. He and his mother and two brothers were at home and were not exposed to danger, but a girl living with the family, who was at school, was obliged to remain there throughout the night, as it would have been tempting death to endeavor to return home. The stock was left unfed that night, as it was altogether unsafe to go out into the storm even to the barn. Mr. Puckett has proved himself worthy of his pioneer ancestors, and as a lawyer and editor is doing much to further the welfare of his county and state.