John R. Calder Biography This biography appears on pages 517-518 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 JOHN R. CALDER. John R. Calder, a furniture and secondhand dealer of Edgemont, Fall River county, was born in Liverpool, England, on the 6th of July, 1855, and is a son of George and Katherine (McMullen) Calder, the former born in Somersetshire, England, and the latter in Ireland. The father was a cabinetmaker by trade and was an expert workman. Both he and his wife passed away in England, his demise occurring in 1889 and that of his wife when our subject was but three years of age. John R. Calder attended school at Longport, Bristol and London, England, and continued his education in Illinois after his emigration to this country. When but twelve years of age he crossed the Atlantic and made his way to the vicinity of Galesburg, Illinois, where he made his home with an uncle for four years. When a youth of sixteen he became a farm hand and was in the employ of others until he was twenty- three years old. At that time, he went to Iowa and after renting land for two years was married and he and his bride settled upon a homestead near Kearney, Nebraska. About seven years later he removed to Akron, Colorado, and there entered the real-estate field. After spending two years in that way he returned to Kearney county, Nebraska, and for some time engaged in the livery business at Minden. From 1891 to 1893 inclusive the crops were poor in that section of the country and times were so bad that he lost heavily and disposed of his business, removing to Sheridan, Wyoming. He entered the employ of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad and had been with that corporation for about eighteen months when he was transferred to Edgemont, South Dakota, in the capacity of head clerk, which position he held until he was appointed postmaster. On the expiration of his term in that office he embarked in the furniture and secondhand business, in which he is still engaged. He carries a full line of furniture, queensware and rugs and also deals in secondhand goods of all kinds. He draws custom from quite a wide territory and his annual profits are gratifying. He is also associated with William Bartlett in the ownership of the franchise of the sulphur well at Edgemont and his interest therein is the source of a substantial addition to his income. He owns land near Edgemont and is one of the substantial residents of Fall River county. Mr. Calder was married in August, 1877, to Miss Mary Barry, who was born at Iowa City, Iowa, of the marriage of William and Katherine (Welsh) Barry, both natives of Ireland, who, however, were married in America. Her father, a farmer by occupation, was an early resident and landowner in the vicinity of Iowa City. He passed away at Des Moines, Iowa, and his widow subsequently removed to Kearney county, Nebraska, where she died while living with the subject of this review. Mr. and Mrs. Calder have had four children. Carter E., married Miss Alma Wilson, and is engaged in the laundry business at Alliance, Nebraska. Fred W., an undertaker of Greeley, Colorado. married Miss Minnie Savon. Maud is the wife of Fred S. Miner, who is a civil engineer in the employ of the Bell Telephone Company and resides at St. Louis, Missouri. Harry G., who passed away on the 24th of August, 1912, was a printer by trade. Mr. Calder is a republican and for three and a half years served as postmaster of Edgemont under President Roosevelt. He has also been city treasurer and school treasurer and is now police judge. In all of the official capacities in which he has been called upon to serve he has proved faithful to the trust reposed in him and has discharged his duties ably. The Episcopal church, of which he is a devout communicant, finds him at all times ready to further its work, and his life is an influence for good in his community. He is equally loyal to the Masonic order and the Modern Woodmen of America, to which he belongs. His is a well rounded life, in which business, political, moral and social interests are all represented, and he is one of the valued citizens of Edgemont.