Joseph W. Applegate Biography


	This biography appears on pages 912-913 in "History of Dakota 
	Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. V (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


				JOSEPH W. APPLEGATE. 

	Joseph W. Applegate, police judge of Edgemont, was born in New 
York city on the 18th of November, 1862, a son of Thomas and Charlotte 
O. (Lewis) Applegate, both of whom were born in County Kerry, Ireland. 
They were married in their native land and in the late '40s or early 
'50s emigrated to the United States. For a time the father engaged in 
any work that would enable him to earn an honest living, but at length 
accumulated sufficient funds to embark in the mercantile business in 
New York city. About 1881 he sold out and went to New Jersey, but later 
returned to New York, where he died in 1883. His wife passed away two 
years later. 

	Joseph W. Applegate attended the public schools of New York city, 
a convent school there and also a convent school and the public schools 
in Lancaster, Ohio, and completed his education by study in Marietta 
College at Marietta, Ohio. From the time that he was twelve years of 
age he has practically earned his own living. He paid his way through 
school by selling different articles and gained much knowledge of 
actual business conditions through that early experience. The last 
season that he attended school in Lancaster, Ohio, he played 
professional baseball, being a member of the Lima (Ohio) Ball Club. 
After receiving his diploma he accepted a position in the employ of J. 
Ury, a dry-goods merchant of Lima, Ohio, with whom he remained for a 
year and then traveled for the George A. Bailey Company of 
Philadelphia. He devoted his spare time to the study of law and has at 
various times found his legal knowledge of practical benefit. For some 
time he managed his brother-in-law's store at Lima, Ohio, which was 
known as the Ninety-nine Cent Store, but in 1885 came to South Dakota, 
locating at Deadwood in the spring of that year. He secured a position 
in a dry-goods store, but was later employed by J. K. P. Miller in the 
wholesale grocery business. In time Mr. Applegate became a partner in a 
branch store, which carried general merchandise, at the tin camp, now 
known as Keystone. He remained there from November, 1886, until April, 
1887, when the camp was discontinued, and he went to Rapid City. From 
1887 until 1889 he was in the employ of John R. Brennan, who conducted 
the Hotel Harney. Mr. Applegate next worked on the Rapid City Journal 
for about a year, but at the end of that time removed to Hot Springs, 
where he became connected with Crane Brothers, merchants. Subsequently 
he turned his attention to the restaurant business and when he was 
burned out in 1903 assumed charge of the Palace Hotel, which he 
conducted for a year. He then managed the Union Hotel for a year, at 
the end of which time he purchased a grocery in Hot Springs. 

	In the spring of 1907 he disposed of his interests and removed to 
Edgemont and was for a year in the dry-goods department of A. J. 
Colgan's store. At the end of that time he was elected police judge and 
the following spring assumed the duties of that position. While serving 
in that position he practiced law for six years. He was appointed to 
the office a second time after a closely contested campaign and on the 
8th of May, 1914, was appointed the third time. He is making an 
excellent record in the position and much commendation is expressed for 
the impartiality and sound judgment which he displays in the discharge 
of his duties. 

	Mr. Applegate was married on the 19th of November, 1889, to Miss 
Mary Colgan, a native of Iowa, and they have three children: Joseph 
Darrell, assistant postmaster of Edgemont, who was born August 1, 1894; 
Margaret Veronica, whose birth occurred on the 4th of September, 1899, 
and who is attending the Sisters Academy at Alliance, Nebraska; and Leo 
Grattan, born June 25, 1902, who is attending school. 

	Mr. Applegate is a democrat and has been very active in local 
party ranks. He is at present serving as postmaster of Edgemont, taking 
office on the 3d of June, 1914. In 1888 he was city assessor of Rapid 
City and while living there also served on the school board. He was for 
four years president of the school board of Hot Springs, for ten years 
was justice of the peace of Fall River county, and for one year was 
chairman of the school board of Burton district, No. 11. His service as 
police judge of Edgemont covers six years and in all of his official 
capacities he has proved able and conscientious. His religious faith is 
that of the Roman Catholic church and he is a member of the Holy Name 
Society. His has been a varied life and he has resided in many places, 
but in all of the communities in which he has lived he has made friends 
and Wont the respect of his fellow citizens.