Gustavus Spear Biography


	This biography appears on pages 781-782 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


				GUSTAVUS SPEAR. 

	Gustavus Spear is now living retired at his home in Dell Rapids. 
For thirty-six years he engaged in farming in this state, becoming the 
owner of an extensive and valuable tract of land and so developing it 
that it became one of the best farms in Enterprise township, Moody 
county. Four years ago he put aside active business cares and is now 
spending his time in the enjoyment of a rest which he has truly earned 
and richly deserves. He was born in Raymond, Racine county, Wisconsin, 
January 11, 1848; a son of Edwin and Mary (Sawyer) Spear. The father 
was a blacksmith by trade but during the latter years of his life also 
followed agricultural pursuits. He was a first cousin of Dr. Asa Gray, 
the noted botanist. Both Mr. and Mrs. Spear are deceased. 

	In the public schools Gustavus Spear pursued his education and 
after his textbooks were put aside he began learning the mason's trade 
in 1868. From Wisconsin he removed to Northfield, Minnesota, where he 
worked at his trade until the spring of 1873, helping to build Willis 
Hall at Carleton College during that time. In that year he came to 
South Dakota, then a part of the territory of Dakota, taking up his 
abode in Enterprise township Moody county, v here in the summer of 1873 
he preempted one hundred and sixty acres of land. In 1874 he took up 
his residence on the place and perfected his title to the property. In 
October, 1875, he secured a homestead, the one hundred and sixty acres 
adjoining. At that time the country was very wild, settlers lived far 
apart and conditions were primitive. In tee fall of 1874 he aided in 
erecting the first brick house in Sioux Falls for Henry Calender and 
also built a part of the old mill at Dell Rapids. In the summer of 1876 
he put in a bank vault for Young & Hollister which was the first bank 
vault in Sioux Falls. He also built a stone store building for J. D. 
Cameron north of the Cataract Hotel in Sioux Falls and thus became 
closely identified with the early development and improvement of that 
section of the state. He added an additional one hundred and sixty 
acres to his holdings through purchase, thus becoming the owner of four 
hundred and eighty acres of valuable land. For thirty-six years he 
engaged in farming and in the early days endured many of the hardships 
connected with developing new land in a district which was largely upon 
the frontier. He was one of the first to engage in agricultural 
pursuits in his part of the state and made his farm one of the best in 
South Dakota. He added to it many improvements and all modern 
equipments and facilities and carefully managed his interests until 
1909, when with a handsome competence he retired, selling his farm. He 
is now a director in the Home National Bank and is a stockholder in 
several local enterprises from which he derives a substantial annual 
income. His investments have been judiciously made and have brought to 
him a gratifying return. 

	On the 5th of January, 1883, Mr. Spear was married to Miss 
Florence M. Hall, a daughter of Robert Hall, of Coleman, South Dakota, 
and to their union were born a son, Edwin R., deceased; and a daughter, 
Winona, now Mrs. Bert Sawyer, of Dell Rapids, whose natal day was 
January 22, 1888. Following the death of his first wife Mr. Spear 
wedded Miss Edith Main, a daughter of David Main, of Moody county, who 
came to South Dakota from Iowa in 1884. The Main family is of Scotch 
extraction. Mr. and Mrs. Spear have three children, Bertha, George and 
Ward. 

	Mr. Spear is a republican in his political views, stalwart in his 
advocacy of the party, and he has served as justice of the peace but 
otherwise has not held public office. He belongs to the Methodist 
church and his life is guided by high and honorable principles. He 
prefers home life rather than public activities and in a way his has 
been a quiet and uneventful career but through all he has displayed 
those qualities of progressive citizenship and of upright manhood which 
ever awaken and command respect and regard.