Stephen W. Dixon Biography


	This biography appears on pages 456-457 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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				STEPHEN W. DIXON. 

	Stephen W. Dixon, now cashier of the Bank of Vienna, Clark 
county, and recognized as a business man of ability and energy, has 
resided almost his entire life in South Dakota, as he was brought to 
this state by his parents when a child. He was born in Downers Grove, 
Illinois, on the 18th of November, 1875, a son of Robert and Sarah J. 
(Rowland) Dixon. The father was born in Belfast, Ireland, of Scotch 
ancestry, while the mother was born near Buffalo, New York, of English 
parentage. Her mother was born in the same town that was the birthplace 
of John Bunyan, the humble tradesman who became famous as the author of 
Pilgrims Progress. In early life Robert Dixon engaged in the coal and 
wood business in Chicago and subsequently, in connection with his 
brothers, followed manufacturing and later for a considerable time was 
a general merchant in Downers Grove, Illinois. In 1882 he came to South 
Dakota and in that fall entered a homestead of one hundred and sixty 
acres and also took up a preemption claim of similar size in what is 
now Dixon township, Hamlin county. He spent the following winter there 
and in the spring of 1883 returned for his family, bringing them to 
this state and establishing his home here. He was the first man to 
locate in Dixon township, which was afterward named in his honor. Some 
time after settling there he purchased a relinquishment on a tree 
claim, which brought his total holdings up to four hundred and eighty 
acres of land, which he still owns. He served during the four years of 
the Civil war as captain of Company E, Fifty-fifth Illinois Volunteer 
Infantry, which held seventh place in the government rank for service, 
as the command took part in thirty six battles and over two hundred 
engagements. For four years he was a member of the state senate and has 
been one of the leaders in Hamlin county since the first settlement of 
that county. 

	Stephen W. Dixon was reared under the parental roof and as he was 
not yet eight years of age when the family removed to this state his 
education was largely acquired in the public schools here. He attended 
the district schools near his home, the Vienna public schools and the 
Watertown high school and after completing the course in the last named 
institution attended Wessington Springs Seminary, where he took normal 
and classical work. Still later he completed a classical course at 
Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois, graduating with the degree of 
Bachelor of Arts. For three years after leaving school he taught and 
for one year of that time was principal of the Wayne (Ill.) public 
schools. During his vacations and subsequently during an entire year he 
worked for the Northwestern Railroad in Chicago and also engaged in 
reportorial work in that city, being upon the staff of the Inter Ocean. 
Returning to South Dakota he spent four years upon the home farm and 
continued to follow agricultural pursuits until 1912, when he purchased 
a half interest in the Bank of Vienna. He was subsequently made cashier 
of that institution and still holds that important position. He manages 
well the administrative detail that is inevitable in the conduct of a 
bank and combines prudence and initiative in his decisions regarding 
the larger questions of policy that come up from time to time. 

	Mr. Dixon was married to Miss Jessie M. Holland of Washington, 
Illinois, on the 12th of December, 1909, and they have a daughter, Arta 
June. Mrs. Dixon is a member of the English Lutheran church and Mr. 
Dixon gives his fraternal allegiance to Bryant Lodge, A. F. & A. M. He 
is much interested in the state of South Dakota and cooperates heartily 
in all movements that seek to promote the interests of the 
commonwealth. He is a well known and representative citizen of Vienna 
and a man of influence in financial circles. His neighbors and friends 
esteem him not only for his ability in business affairs but also for 
his probity and fair dealing.