Biography of Daniel T. Hindman

	From: History of Dakota Territory  by George W. Kingsbury (1915), vol. V, p. 722-725
	
	Transcribed by Judy Huber, huberj@btigate.com

DANIEL T. HINDMAN

Daniel T. Hindman is a well known capitalist of Marshall County,
figuring prominently in financial circles as a. president of the
First National Bank of Britton. He still gives supervision to
his business interests and him investments, although he has
passed the seventy-sixth milestone on life journey, his birth
having occurred February 22, 1839, near Oxford, Butler County,
Ohio. His parents were Dr. Andrew and Margaret (Trembly)
Hindman, the former born in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, in
1800 and the latter in Elizabeth, New Jersey, in the same year.
They were married in Ohio and it was in that state that Dr.
Hindman studied medicine, attending the Ohio Medical College at
Cincinnati. He then entered upon the practice of him profession
in Richmond, Indiana, where he remained for a number of years,
removing thence to Brownsville, Indiana, where he passed away in
1853. His widow survived him for two decades, dying in 1873. She
was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Dr. Hindman was
an active representative of the Masonic fraternity, and when
death called him was laid to rest with Masonic honors in
Brownsville. His political indorsement was given to the
democratic party and he held some municipal offices. To him and
his wife were born seven children, am follows: Dr. William E.,
who was a practicing physician of Indiana and passed away in
1865, his remain. being interred at New Boston, Illinois, where
he was then following his profession; S. E., who was a
millwright and farmer living in Illinois and has. passed away;
Daniel and Mary, both deceased; James A. who warn a millwright
and carpenter by trade and is deceased; Samuel L, who was
manager of the Gaar Scott Manufacturing Company and died Indiana
in 1897; and Daniel T., twin brother of Samuel and the subject
of this review. 

Daniel T. Hindman, the only survivor of his parents family, was
educated in the public schools of Indiana and Illinois and also
pursued a commercial course. With the outbreak of a. Civil war
he enlisted for active service at the front. Hardly had the
smoke from Fort Sumter's guns cleared away when on the 18th of
April, 1861, he joined Company I of the Seventeenth Illinois
Infantry, with which he served for three years. He was sent home
on recruiting service by General McPherson in 1868 but both
before and after that time participated in a number of hotly
contested engagements. In the early part of his service he held
the rank of first sergeant and afterwards became a lieutenant of
Company E, Eighth Illinois Infantry. On the 2lst of October,
1861, he fought with his command at Fredericktown, Missoui,
where they defeated the Confederate troops. He was afterward in
the engagements at Fort Henry, Fort Donelson, Shiloh and
Vicksburg and the last battle in which he participated was at
Fort Blakely Alabama, on the 9th of April, 1865. His regiment
afterward acted as provost guard in Mobile, Alabama, stationed
in Texas for a year after the close of the war, so that for five
years Mr. Hindman was engaged in active military service. 

In the spring of 1866 he returned to Illinois, where he
continued to reside until the spring of 1884. In the meantime he
had visited Dakota territory and had selected what he believed
to be a favorable location. He settled in Day county, now
Marshall county, and was treasurer of the Britton Land & Trust
Company, which organized the town site of Britton in 1883. He is
now living in the first residence built in the town. After the
place was laid out he returned to Illinios and organized a
lumber company formed of Mercer county (Ill.) men. Then going to
Minneapolis, he purchased sixty-nine car loads of lumber, which
he shipped to Andover and thence hauled to Britton. For twenty
years thereafter he was engaged in the lumber business and he
also bought and sold land, making considerable money in his
real-estate deals. Later he turned his attention to the banking
business and from its organization served as president of the
Citizens Bank for a number of years. On  the 1st of January,
1902, he was one of the organizers of the First National Bank of
Britton and has since. been its president. This is now regarded
as one of the strong financial institutions of the county, 
being capitalized for fifty thousand dollars, while the surplus
amounts to ten thousand dollars, the undivided profits to six
thousand dollars and the average deposits to three hundred and
fifty thousand dollars. The other officers are: Charles
Hamilton, vice president;S. A, Bell, vice president  W. S.
Given, cashier; C. E. Printup, asssistant cashier; Walton W.
Thorp; George Bingham; and Alma M. Russell. In addition to his
banking interests he is now the owner of four hundrid and eighty
aces of rich and valuable land and at different time. He also has 
large investments in Los Angeles and he and his wife spend the winter 
seasons in that sunny clime.

In 1866 Mr. Hindman was united in marriage to Miss Viola J. Willits, 
a native of Illinois and a daughter of J. Monroe Willits, who was 
born in Centerville, Indiana, and in 1848 removed with his wife to 
Illinois, in which state both spent the remainder of their years. 
To Mr. and Mrs. Hindman were born two children. Grace May, a graduate 
in music and art of the Northwestern University at Evanston, Illinois, 
passed away in 1900.  She was the wife of F. J. Brown, who is engaged in 
business as an abstractor of Britton and also held the position of 
postmaster for a number of years.  George M., who was born in 1873 and 
died in the year 1894, was employed in a bank and stores and also acted 
as leader of the Britton Band.

Mrs. Hindman holds membership in the Methodist Episcopal church, in which 
Mr. Hindman is serving as a trustee, although not a member.  The Masonic 
fraternity numbers him among its worthy exemplars. He holds membership in 
the lodge, chapter, commandery and Mystic Shrine and in the lodge has filled 
all of the offices. He is also an active member of the Grand Army of the 
Republic. He has been very prominent in political connections as a supporter 
of the republican party.  While residing in Mercer county, Illinois, he served 
for three terms as county treasurer, being first elected in 1S75 and holding 
the office altogether or seven years. He filled the offices of treasurer of 
the Agricultural Society and treasurer of the Soldiers and Sailers Monument 
Association there, and after coming to South Dakota was one of the 
commissioners of Day county.  He was also Indian agent at the Sisseton agency, 
acting in that capacity for a year under President Harrison, at the end of which 
time he resigned. In 1891 he was elected state senator, serving for two years, 
and in 1895 was chosen lieutenant governor, filling the position for one term. 
In that office as a republican he had to preside over the state senate, which 
had a majority of six opposed to him in politics, but they never challenged 
his rulings on a single occasion, so just was he at all times.  He was 
afterward urged to become a candidate for governor but refused. He has, 
however, left the impress of his individuality upon the political history 
as well as the material development of the state.  The integrity of his views 
and the stability of his position have never been questioned.  He stands 
unequivocally for what he believes to be riht and works untiringly to accomplish 
a purpose which he believes will promote the welfare of the state.  His 
activities have been far reaching and beneficial and the public record of none 
has been more faultless in honor, fearless in conduct or stainless in reputation.