Melvin J. Staven Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1102-1103 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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				MELVIN J. STAVEN. 

	Melvin J. Staven, member of the Britton bar, now filling the 
office of states attorney, was born in Vernon county, Wisconsin, May 
11, 1875, a son of O. E. and Ser Janna (Peterson) Staven, who are 
natives of Norway, born in 1830 and 1834 respectively. They were 
married in that country and came to the United States in 1857, making 
their way to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and thence driving with ox teams 
over the state to La Crosse. In that district the father homesteaded 
and there developed a farm upon. which he lived until 1877, when he 
went to Brookings county, South Dakota, where he also secured a 
homestead claim which he developed into a valuable and productive farm, 
residing there until 1900. He has now retired from active business life 
and makes his home in Brookings. At the time of the Civil war he gave 
evidence of his patriotic loyalty to his adopted country by enlisting 
in 1864 and serving until the close of hostilities. He went with 
Sherman on the celebrated march to the sea. His political allegiance 
has always been given to the republican party, which was the defense of 
the Union during the dark days of the Civil war. His religious faith is 
that of the Norwegian Lutheran church. Both he and his wife still 
survive at the ages, respectively, of eighty-five and eighty-one years. 

	Melvin J. Staven was the ninth in order of birth in a family of 
ten children, nine of whom are yet living. After attending the common 
schools he attended the college in Brookings, South Dakota, and later 
entered upon the study of law at Vermillion, where he won his LL. B. 
degree upon graduation from the State University with the class of 
1907. Immediately afterward he located for practice in Britton, where 
he has since remained. For a year he was a partner of Otto L. Kaas, who 
was then states attorney, and in 1909 he was made assistant states 
attorney. In 1914. he was elected to the position of states attorney on 
the republican ticket and is making a creditable record in that office. 
He is also president of the city council and for a number of years was 
a member of the board of aldermen. He keeps well informed on the 
questions and issues of the day and his position upon political 
questions is the result of careful thought and study. 

	In 1902 Mr. Staven was united in marriage to Miss Ovedia D. 
Keland, her father being John Keland, a retired agriculturist of this 
state. To them have been born three children, as follows: Alvin Jerome, 
whose birth occurred in 1903; Leonora Irene, born in 1909; and Marcella 
Dorothea, who was born in February, 1914. 

	Mr. and Mrs. Staven hold membership in the Lutheran church and he 
is also identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, in which 
he has passed through all the chairs. His interests are those of the 
broad-minded, progressive citizen who is never so engrossed in 
individual interests that he cannot find time to discharge his public 
duties and obligations. At the same time Mr. Staven is most active in 
his profession and his allegiance to his clients, interests has become 
proverbial.