Opie Morton Chambers Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1169-1170 in "History of Dakota 
	Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. V (1915) and was 
	scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				OPIE MORTON CHAMBERS. 

	Opie Morton Chambers, a member of the firm of Jackson Brothers 
and treasurer of the Western Townsite Company, of Dallas, South Dakota, 
has through his business connections become an important factor in 
promoting the progress and growth of western South Dakota. He 
recognizes the chances that are here to be secured and has never feared 
to venture where favoring opportunity leads the way. He was born in 
Monroe county, West Virginia, October 22, 1875, a son of Rufus Alfred 
and Elizabeth (Williams) Chambers. The father was a farmer by 
occupation, but at the time of the Civil war put aside all business and 
personal considerations and responded to the country's call for troops, 
joining the Union army. At one time he was a member of the state 
legislature of West Virginia and was a prominent and influential 
citizen there. He died when his son, Opie M. Chambers, was but six 
years of age and the mother has also passed away. 

	Having mastered the branches of learning taught in the public 
schools, Opie M. Chambers continued his education in the normal school 
at Athens, West Virginia, and subsequently began studying law but did 
not complete his course. At the time of the Spanish-American war, true 
to the example of his father, who had previously defended the nation's 
interests, he joined the Second West Virginia Regiment of Volunteers, 
but his command was not called upon for active service in the field. 
After being mustered out he went to St. Joseph, Missouri, and was upon 
the road as a commercial traveler for two years. At the end of that 
time he continued his westward journey to the coast and was connected 
with an employment agency. of Spokane with branch offices in various 
towns of the Pacific northwest. Later he arrived in the Rosebud at the 
time the reservation was opened, settling at Herrick, Gregory county, 
where he established and published a newspaper. He was then appointed 
postmaster at Herrick, which office he filled from 1905 until 1909, 
when he resigned and removed to Dallas, entering into a connection with 
the Western Townsite Company, of which he is the treasurer. This 
company has been capitalized for two hundred and fifty thousand 
dollars. At the first sale held by the company, when lots were disposed 
of at public auction, the returns were ninety-three thousand dollars. 
In addition to his interest in this business Mr. Chambers owns large 
ranch properties. He has manifested his faith in South Dakota by his 
extensive investments in lands and his wisdom and judgment have found 
justification in his growing success. 

	On the 8th of May, 1906, Mr. Chambers was married to Miss E. 
Belle Martin, of O'Neill, Nebraska, a daughter of Bennett Martin, and 
they have one child, Geraldine Elizabeth. Mr. Chambers is well known in 
Masonic circles, having attained the thirty-second degree of the 
Scottish Rite. In politics he is a republican and has filled the office 
of member of the town council for several terms, in which connection he 
has carefully studied the opportunities of the city and worked for its 
advancement along lines contributing most largely to progress and 
improvement. He has furthermore worked for the interests of his 
district as a member of the Greater Dallas committee. Upon his banner 
is emblazoned the word onward and the course that he has followed has 
not only brought him into pleasant and profitable business relations, 
but has also made him a contributing factor to the prosperity of 
Gregory county.