Philip L. Larson Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1030-1031 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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				PHILIP L. LARSON. 

	Philip L. Larson, a substantial agriculturist and representative 
citizen of Benton township, Minnehaha county, owns and operates a farm 
of two hundred acres on section 3, where he has resided continuously 
from his birth to the present time. He was born on the 19th of 
November, 1876, his parents being Olaus and Petronella (Johnson) 
Larson, who emigrated to the United States as young man and young 
woman. They were married in Wilcox, Pennsylvania, where the father 
worked in a tannery. In 1874 or 1875 they came to South Dakota, 
locating in Benton township, Minnehaha county, where Olaus Larson 
homesteaded the northwest quarter of section 3. Soon afterward he took 
up a forty-acre timber claim adjoining his homestead and here continued 
to reside until 1907, when he removed to Crooks, where his demise 
occurred in June, 1910. The period of his residence in Minnehaha county 
covered more than a third of a century and he was long numbered among 
its prosperous agriculturists and esteemed citizens. He was twice 
married, his first wife passing away in 1882, while his second wife 
survived him for about three years. 

	Philip L. Larson attended the common schools in the acquirement 
of an education and after attaining his majority continued on the home 
farm, assisting his father in its operation. In 1907 the latter put 
aside the active work of the fields and took up his abode in Crooks, 
leaving our subject in charge of the property. In the fall of 1913 he 
purchased the farm, which has since remained in his possession and 
which he operates in a manner that insures him a gratifying annual 
income. He is likewise a stockholder in the Crooks Lumber Company and 
is widely recognized as an enterprising and progressive citizen of his 
native county. 

	In 1908 Mr. Larson was united in marriage to Miss Augusta 
Johnson, her father being Andrew Johnson, a prominent agriculturist of 
Grand Meadow township, Minnehaha county. They have two daughters, Olga 
and Elna. Mr. Larson is a republican in politics and has served as road 
overseer of his district. His religious faith is indicated by his 
membership in the Benton Lutheran church, of which he is a-trustee and 
to which his wife also belongs. The salient qualities of his life have 
ever commended him to the confidence, goodwill and friendship of those 
with whom he comes in contact, and he has always enjoyed the warm 
regard of a host of friends.