Ellis T. Peirce Biography


	This biography appears on pages 474-475 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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				ELLIS T. PEIRCE. 

	Ellis T. Peirce, of Hot Springs, South Dakota, has had a life of 
varied experience and during most of his mature years has resided in 
this state, being familiar with most phases of pioneer life in South 
Dakota. For the last few years he has conducted a barber shop in Hot 
Springs and is meeting with success in that business. He is a native of 
Pennsylvania, born in Lancaster county, near Philadelphia, April 24, 
1846, a son of Joseph and Prudence (Blackburn) Peirce, the former a 
native of the same locality and the latter born five miles away, across 
the line in Maryland. Joseph Peirce was born in 1800 and his wife 
sixteen years later. He was both a farmer and miller and took quite an 
active part in public affairs. He passed away in l848 and his widow 
removed to Sioux City, Iowa, where she lived for a time, but later 
returned to Philadelphia, where her death occurred in 1908. Both were 
Quakers in religious faith. 

	Ellis T. Peirce received a good education in the public schools 
and later attended the State Normal School at Millersville, 
Pennsylvania. When seventeen years of age he put aside all other 
considerations and offered himself for service in the Union army, 
enlisting in Nevin's Battery at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, June 17, 
1863. His coolheadedness and valor won him promotion to the rank of 
corporal and then successively to first duty sergeant and commissary 
sergeant. For sixty days he was confined in a hospital but when not 
incapacitated by sickness was always found at his post of duty. He was 
mustered out at St. Louis on the 16th day of March, 1865. In addition 
to his service in the Union army he was employed under Governor 
Fletcher, of Missouri, in ridding the state of outlaws, being one of 
one hundred and thirty-five men picked from different regiments whose 
services were required in that connection from April until July. Upon 
returning to private life he engaged in the pump business, selling 
pumps, manufactured by his brother, throughout northern Missouri. After 
spending ten months in that occupation Mr. Peirce engaged in the show 
business for a time and upon abandoning that fed cattle in Illinois and 
Iowa. In 1871 he removed to Omaha and was connected with the hotel 
business but in February, 1876, he went to Custer, Dakota territory, as 
captain of a train with which there were sixty-nine men, and began 
prospecting, later taking up three claims on French creek, When gold 
was struck at Deadwood Gulch there were some eight thousand people 
living in Custer but shortly afterward the population had decreased to 
about two thousand, most of whom were women and children. Mr. Peirce at 
that time was engaged in scout duty for incoming and outgoing trains 
but in the fall of 1876 he opened a free hospital at Custer City for 
the sick and wounded. He conducted this until March of the following 
spring, having at that time fourteen patients to care and provide for. 
He found it necessary to make definite provision for securing funds and 
accordingly opened a barber shop in Custer on the 16th of October, 
1876, devoting the profits therefrom mainly to the upkeep of his 
hospital. He was appointed deputy sheriff of Custer county and in the 
election in the fall of 1877 was elected to that office, serving 
therein until the 1st of April, 1878, when he resigned, In connection 
with Daniel J. Stafford he opened the Stafford House in Rapid City and 
remained there until the Ratchford stampede, when he joined the rush 
and took up a claim or two. He located the Maid of Athens pocket mine, 
which he worked until the fall of 1880, when he was elected sheriff of 
Pennington county. After serving in that office for two years he 
engaged in ranching but in 1886 was compelled to abandon that work on 
account of rheumatism. Removing to Hot Springs for medical treatment, 
he engaged in the real-estate business there and met with a fair 
measure of success until the panic of 1893. He then went to Mobile, 
Alabama, but after six months was so anxious to return to Hot Springs 
that he sold his property in Hot Springs at a heavy loss, this being 
the only way of securing the necessary funds at that time. On his way 
back to this state he stopped at St. Louis and purchased the equipment 
for a barber shop and since his return to Hot Springs has engaged in 
that business. He also deals in real estate to some extent, practically 
owning all of the property he handles. Since his return he has resided 
continuously in the city save for four weeks that were spent at Hot 
Springs, Arkansas. 

	Mr. Peirce was united in marriage July 3, 1883, to Miss Iris E. 
Williams, who was born at Forsythe, Missouri, in Ozark county, a 
daughter of Ira L. and Annie C. Williams. On her mother's side she 
comes of distinguished colonial ancestry, the line being traced back to 
the family that produced Ethan Allen, of Revolutionary war fame. Mr. 
Williams, as a pioneer of Yankton, was one of the early settlers on 
Turkey creek. He is now living with Mr. and Mrs. Peirce, having 
survived his wife since 1873. To Mr. and Mrs. Peirce has been born a 
daughter, Ethel, who has taken post-graduate work at the State Normal 
School at Spearfish and who for eight years has taught in the Hot 
Springs schools. 

	Mr. Peirce is a republican, loyal in his allegiance to that 
party. in addition to his service as sheriff he has held official 
positions of importance. In 1903 and 1904 he was a member of the state 
legislature and at various times he has been deputy United States 
marshal. His religious faith is that of the Presbyterian church and his 
fraternal connections are with the Masonic order and the Independent 
Order of Odd Fellows. In the former organization he belongs to all of 
the York Rite bodies, including the knights Templar commandery. He has 
gained the right to be considered one of those hardy spirits who have 
laid the foundation for the material prosperity of the state, while his 
upright life and concern for the public welfare have been factors in 
the moral and civic development of his community.