Burnace W. Baer Biography This biography appears on pages 801-802 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 HON. BURNACE W. BAER. Hon. Burnace W. Baer, county judge of Sanborn county and a resident of Woonsocket, was born at Ash Grove, Iowa, February 4, 1877. His father, William R. Baer, was a native of Iowa and a farmer by occupation. His father, Thomas Baer, was of old Pennsylvania Dutch stock and became one of Iowa,s pioneer settlers. William R. Baer died in the year 1889, while his wife, who was in her maidenhood Miss Alice Wonn, passed away in 1897. They were the parents of five children. Burnace W. Baer, the second in order of birth, began his education at Harlan, Iowa, where he attended the grammar and high schools, while later he became a student in the Southern Iowa Normal College and afterward devoted three years to public school teaching. He next entered the State University of Iowa as a law student and was graduated with the class of 1900. He went to Woonsocket, South Dakota, in 1901 and there entered upon the active practice of his profession. In 1902 he was elected state's attorney for Sanborn county and occupied that position for four years. In 1906 he was chosen county judge, in which office he has served to the present time, and his course upon the bench has been characterized by a clear understanding of law and equity resulting in fair and impartial decisions. His fidelity to the highest standards of the profession led to his reelection and he has made an excellent record as a jurist. In addition to serving upon the bench Judge Baer purchased a model stock farm near Woonsocket and is a successful breeder of registered Percheron horses. In fact, he is widely known in this connection and he is a member of the Percheron Society of America. He is also a member of the board of directors of the Sanborn County Fair Association and he was the originator and promoter of the boys' corn contest in his county and has done much to stimulate a widespread interest in these contests, which are proving a valuable asset in promoting the corn-raising interests of the district. Few men in the county have done more or as much to secure the introduction of modern farm methods. He believes in rapid and substantial development along agricultural as well as other lines and realizes that the state has vast opportunities which should be utilized. For some years he has been active in the Farmers' Institute Association and is one of the state's most enthusiastic alfalfa advocates, experimenting and studying broadly in order to acquaint himself with the best methods of growing this crop. On the 1st of June, 1904, was celebrated the marriage of Judge Baer and Miss Blanche E. Smith, a daughter of E. M. and Elizabeth (Greer) Smith, of whom mention is made elsewhere in this work. To Judge and Mrs. Baer have been born three sons: Ross Melvin, Donald Smith and Charles Wallace. Judge Baer is a Mason and also holds membership with the Modern Woodmen of America. He is one of the county,s most highly respected officials and citizens and his labors along professional and various other lines have been of distinct value and worth to the community. He ever holds to high standards and never deviates from a course which he believes to be right until he has accomplished his purpose in that direction.