Charles S. Eastman Biography


	This biography appears on pages 410-413 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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				CHARLES S. EASTMAN. 

	Charles S. Eastman, the popular and capable postmaster of Hot 
Springs, is a native of Dane county, Wisconsin, born near Madison, 
January 23, 1864, of the marriage of Dean H. and Ellen (Buchanan) 
Eastman. The mother, who was born in Indiana, is a half sister of 
Robert La Follette, ax-governor of Wisconsin and now United States 
senator. Dean H. Eastman, who was born in Maine, emigrated to Dane 
county, Wisconsin, in his youth and was there married. He followed the 
occupation of farming throughout his life and in 1881 removed to 
Plankinton, Dakota territory. His family later joined him in the 
territory and for a number of years he farmed in Aurora county. At 
length he sold his interests there and removed to the Ozark mountain 
region of Missouri, where the family resided for three years. They then 
returned to Dakota, but after a short time went to Albion, Iowa, where 
Mr. Eastman continued to live until shortly before his death, which 
occurred at State Center, Iowa, at the home of his eldest son. His 
widow survives and is living with that son. Mr. Eastman was quite 
prominent in the communities in which he lived and served as county 
treasurer of Aurora county, South Dakota, for one term. A number of 
times he was a member of the board of education and in his early life 
taught for several years in Wisconsin. To him and his wife were born 
eight children, of whom Charles S. is the third in order of birth. 

	The last named was reared under the parental roof and gained his 
early education in the schools of Dane county, Wisconsin. He for a time 
attended the Northwestern Business College at Madison and was later a 
student at the State University of Wisconsin at that place. In the 
spring of 1882, when a youth of eighteen years, he located in 
Plankinton, Dakota territory, and was employed by the sheriff of Aurora 
county, who sent him to White Lake to look after some business which 
required his attention for several months During the winters of 1882-
83-84 he taught district school in Aurora county and throughout the 
summer of 1882 he was employed by. Anderson & Dougan, who were engaged 
in the hardware business. In the summer of 1883 Mr. Eastman followed 
the carpenter's and painter's trades at White Lake and in the summer of 
the following year he was employed in Mr. Hoffmaster's general store at 
White Lake. 

	When President Arthur opened the Winnebago reservation to 
settlement in February, 1885, Mr. Eastman, with a party of others, took 
up claims there. When President Cleveland revoked the act of President 
Arthur opening to settlement such reservation, all of the settlers 
thereon were removed and Mr. Eastman went to Chadron, Nebraska, then 
the objective point of the Northwestern Railroad. In May, 1885, he 
settled in Fall River county, locating on the east branch of Horsehead 
creek. He built the first house in Oelrichs and assisted, in the early 
development of that region, residing there until the winter of 1890 and 
1891, when he removed to Hot Springs. A number of years previously he 
had read law in the office of La Follette & Siebecker in Madison, 
Wisconsin, and he was admitted to the bar of the territory in August, 
1888. He gave his attention to his work as an attorney and to the real-
estate business in Hot Springs until January 3, 1893, when he assumed 
his duties as deputy sheriff, to which office he was appointed. After 
serving for four years as deputy he was elected sheriff and held that 
position for the same length of time, making eight continuous years in 
the sheriff's office at a time when it was not altogether a pleasure to 
be an officer of the law. He has held other offices, having served as 
county judge while a resident of Oelrichs in 1887 and 1888. In 1906 the 
confidence which his fellow citizens have in his ability as well as in 
his integrity, was expressed at the polls through his election as 
member of the state legislature and he ably represented his district in 
the session of 1907 and was the unanimous choice of his party for 
speaker of the house. On the 16th of May, 1914, he was made postmaster 
of Hot Springs, assuming charge of the office on the 1st of June of 
that year. He is the present incumbent of the position and under his 
management the postal affairs of the city are systematically and 
efficiently conducted. Although in connection with his early practice 
he gave considerable time to the buying and selling of real estate, he 
later concentrated his energies upon his law business, being a partner 
of William D. Dudley, and doing business under the firm name of Eastman 
& Dudley, the firm being regarded as one of the strongest and most 
successful in the state. For the last few years other interests have 
demanded a part of his time and his son has taken his place in the 
legal firm. Mr. Eastman,s residence in Hot Springs is one of the finest 
and most modern in that city. 

	Mr. Eastman was married on the 15th of April, 1888, to Miss Agnes 
Colgan, a native of Ottumwa, Iowa, and a daughter of Thomas and Mary 
(Colligan) Colgan, both of whom were born in Ireland. In early life the 
father was a railroad contractor, but later carried on general 
agricultural pursuits. While living in Iowa he gave special attention 
to the raising of stock and in the early '80s removed to O'Neill, 
Nebraska, where he continued in that business. The mother of Mrs. 
Eastman died when the daughter was but five years of age and the latter 
accompanied her older brother to Valentine, Nebraska, about 1884, 
whence she removed to Oelrichs, Fall River county, Dakota territory, 
where she met and married Mr. Eastman. Her father survived until 1895. 
Mr. and Mrs. Eastman are the parents of six children: Le Roy C., who is 
engaged in the general insurance business in Hot Springs; Thomas Earl, 
a practicing attorney of that city; Ruth A., who is attending the State 
University of Iowa at Iowa City; Dean H., and Arthur, both in high 
school; and Helen, who is attending public school. 

	Mr. Eastman is an ardent democrat and for the last eighteen years 
has been either state committeeman or chairman of his county committee. 
He was a delegate to the Kansas City convention of his party which 
nominated William Jennings Bryan for president and has attended every 
state convention as a delegate for more than twenty years, and is 
regarded as one of the leaders of his party in the state. He has taken 
a commendable interest in the welfare of the public schools and for ten 
years served as a member of the board of education, for two terms of 
that time being president of the board. He is also president of the Hot 
Springs Bar Association, which honor he has held for several years. 
Fraternally he belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, holding 
membership in the subordinate lodge and the encampment. His life has 
been one of intense activity and as his labors have been well directed 
he has accomplished much, not only in the line of his individual 
success, but also for the general welfare, and he is justly held in the 
highest esteem and respect by his fellow citizens.