Olaf Seim Biography


	This biography appears on pages 940-943 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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				OLAF SEIM.

	Olaf Seim was well known as a general contractor for a period of 
a quarter of a century or more in Deadwood, being closely identified 
during that time with building operations. He is now practically living 
retired but is vice president of the Black Hills Trust & Savings Bank 
and is proprietor of the Seim flat building. He was born in southern 
Bergen, Norway, September 20, 1866, a son of Nels L. and Christie Seim, 
also natives of Norway, the former born November 13, 1813, and the 
latter in 1824. The father learned the trade of shipbuilding in early 
life and followed that pursuit for a long period. Afterward he 
purchased a farm, on which he lived partially retired to the time of 
his death, which occurred in 1905, He served in the regular army of 
Norway for three years. His wife passed away in 1908. 

	Olaf Seim, the youngest of their seven children, attended the 
schools of southern Bergen and when seventeen years of age began 
learning the builder's trade, which he followed in Norway until the 
spring of 1885, when he camel to America. He first settled in Iowa, 
near Lansing, Allamakee county, where he worked at his trade for about 
two years. He then removed to Watertown, South Dakota, where he began 
contracting along the line of the Great Northern Railroad, which was 
then being built into Huron. He erected houses along the line of that 
road in the new towns which were being established and after two years 
spent in that work arrived in Deadwood in the spring of 1889. There he 
worked at his trade and did general contracting of all kinds, 
continuing in the business until a recent date, when he practically put 
aside business cares save for the supervision which he gives to his 
invested interests as proprietor of the Seim flat buildings and as a 
stockholder and the vice president of the Black Hills Trust & Savings 
Bank. He is also owner of the Seim mine near Deadwood and has a mine 
formerly known as the Porth mine. He likewise owns stock in other 
mining properties and is the owner of the Black Hills Steam Laundry and 
the Black Hills & Kilker Garage. He has various residence properties 
and his investments represent the results of a life of well <Erected 
activity, energy and thrift. He is now numbered among the substantial 
citizens of his community and his prosperity is well deserved. 

	In September, 1896, Mr. Seim was married to Miss Eda Martin, who 
was born in Norway. near Christiania. Her parents never came to America 
but still occupy the old homestead farm in Norway, where the father is 
an extensive owner of timber lands. Mr. and Mrs. Seim have one child, 
Ida Selma, eleven years of age, now attending school. 

	Mr. Seim is a member of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks 
and of the Lutheran church, and these associations indicate much of the 
nature of his interests and the principles which guide his actions. In 
politics he is a democrat and served as a member of the city council 
for eight years, being chairman of the council or acting mayor of the 
city for two years. He has ever exercised his official prerogatives in 
support of measures for the general good and his cooperation in 
citizenship has been an element of value in the upbuilding and progress 
of Deadwood.