Silas Thomas Lasell Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1262, 1265 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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				SILAS THOMAS LASELL. 

	Silas Thomas Lasell is actively engaged in banking at Waubay and 
has other important business and financial connections, showing him to 
be resourceful, enterprising and progressive. He was born in Fillmore 
county, Minnesota, February 10, 1860, and is a son of Z. D. and Roxanna 
(Lund) Lasell. The father was born in Canada in 1831, a son of Thomas 
Lasell, a native of Vermont, who, however, died in Canada, where he had 
practiced medicine for many years, being an active physician and 
surgeon. The mother, a native of New York state, was born in 1833. Her 
father, Silas Lund, was a native of Vermont. He devoted his life to 
farming and died in Kansas. 

	Z. D. Lasell, the father of Silas T. Lasell, was married in 
Vermont to Miss Roxanna Lund, and in 1856 they removed westward to 
Minnesota, where he preempted land in Fillmore county. He was one of 
the pioneer residents of that district and aided in the work of 
development and improvement in frontier days. In fact, he continued his 
farming interests there until 1892, when he removed to Waubay, South 
Dakota. He homesteaded land in this state, where he continued to reside 
until he went to California on a visit and there passed away. He was a 
consistent Christian gentleman, holding membership in the Methodist 
Episcopal church and took an active part in all branches of its work. 
He departed this life May 28, 1912, and his wife died April 16, 1900. 
Their family numbered nine children, of whom eight are living: Loena, 
the wife of W. C. Paddock, a blacksmith of Eureka, California; Julia, 
the wife of George W. Dilley, a railroad man living at Portland, 
Oregon; Silas Thomas; Bertha, who married W. F. Osborn, a farmer of 
Canada; Dana A., a retired farmer living in Waubay; George G., who is 
proprietor of a store at Millerton, North Dakota; Hattie, deceased; M. 
C., an attorney of Aberdeen, South Dakota; and Mabel, living at Vona, 
Colorado. 

	Silas T. Lasell received his education in the schools of Spring 
Valley, Minnesota, completing a high-school course by graduation with 
the class of 1878. His early business training was that of the farm and 
he became thoroughly acquainted with every phase of farm work. Removing 
to South Dakota, he homesteaded land, which he still owns, having now a 
half section of the homestead place in addition to much other land in 
which he has invested. He started out in life on his own account when 
twenty-one years of age and as time has passed has prospered largely 
owing to his judicious investments. He is numbered among the prominent 
business men of Waubay, being president of the State Bank, which is 
capitalized for fifteen thousand dollars and which has a surplus of 
three thousand dollars and average deposits of one hundred and fifty 
thousand dollars. He also has important interests in elevator and in 
electric light plants and other business projects and devotes much of 
his time to his farming interests, which are extensive and important. 

	In 1898 Mr. Lasell wedded Miss Lena Matheson, who was born in 
Mitchell, Iowa, and they had three children but only one is now living, 
Sylvan, who was born December 27, 1908; Ithiel and Nellie are deceased. 
Both Mr. and Mrs. Lasell adhere to the Christian faith. He is a member 
of the United Brethren church, while she is a Lutheran. He takes an 
advanced stand upon many questions of vital interest, being a stanch 
temperance worker and a supporter of the prohibition party. He has held 
some township offices and at all points in his career has been loyal to 
the public welfare, while at the same time he has promoted his 
individual interests. One of the important factors in his growing 
success is his ability to recognize and improve opportunities which 
others pass heedlessly by. He seems at once to become cognizant of the 
value of a business situation and his sound judgment and industry have 
constituted an impetus for the successful conduct of various important 
business concerns.