Henry G. Solem Biography


	This biography appears on pages 463-464 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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				HENRY G. SOLEM. 

	Henry G. Solem, one of the leading, influential and prosperous 
citizens of Minnehaha county, is now representing his district in the 
state legislature. He first took up his abode in Minnehaha county more 
than four decades ago and now owns from one thousand to twelve hundred 
acres of the most valuable land in South Dakota. He rents most of this, 
however, residing on the old home farm in Sverdrup township, where he 
devotes his attention to stock-raising. His birth occurred in Norway on 
the 9th of November, 1853, his parents being Goodman P. and Solog 
(Brende) Solem, who emigrated to the United States in 1875. They 
located in Minnehaha county, South Dakota, homesteading in Sverdrup 
township, where the father continued to reside until he passed away 
about 1886. The mother had died about 1881. They were highly esteemed 
as people of genuine personal worth and enjoyed a favorable 
acquaintance in the community. 

	Henry G. Solem was reared under the parental roof and obtained a 
limited education in the common schools of his native land. At the 
early age of ten years he began providing for his own support, being 
subsequently employed as a farm hand, at railroad work and at mining. 
In the spring of 1872, when in his nineteenth year, he crossed the 
Atlantic to the United States, locating in Minnehaha county, South 
Dakota, where he devoted his attention to the work of the fields. In 
1877 he went to the Black Hills with the gold seekers and there spent 
four years. On the expiration of that period he returned to Minnehaha 
county and settled down to agricultural pursuits. He had acquired a 
farm before going to the Black Hills, and as the years have passed he 
has augmented his holdings from time to time until they now embrace 
from one thousand to twelve hundred acres of the most valuable land in 
the state, in Minnehaha and Moody counties. Mr. Solem rents most of his 
property and resides on the old home farm in Sverdrup township, where 
he devotes his attention entirely to stock-raising, his cattle being 
thoroughbred Durhams. About thirty years ago he organized the first 
Farmers Cooperative Grain Elevator Company that was ever formed in the 
United States, serving as a director thereof and subsequently in the 
capacity of treasurer for a number of years. After the death of the 
president, Thomas Hanson, which occurred in 1912, he was made the chief 
executive officer and has since remained at the head of the company. In 
1900 he organized the Baltic Creamery Company and has served as its 
president continuously since, ably and successfully directing its 
affairs. He is likewise a factor in financial circles as vice president 
of the Dakota State Bank of Baltic, which he organized and of which he 
has been an official from the beginning. He also holds the position of 
vice president in the Granite City Bank of Dell Rapids, South Dakota. 
He also became one of the organizers of the Mutual Insurance Company, a 
fire, lightning and tornado company, for the protection of farm 
buildings, live stock, etc. This company now carries risks of almost 
six million dollars and the business has proved of great benefit to the 
farmers. The company was established only after a hard fight with a 
number of the old line companies, which were opposed to it, and of the 
people generally, who lacked faith in cooperation in those days. 

	In 1886 Mr. Solem was united in marriage to Miss Lena Hoel of 
Minnehaha county, who is a native of Norway. They have one son, John 
Edward, who is at home. Mr. Solem gives his political allegiance to the 
republican party and for a number of years past has ably served in the 
capacity of township supervisor. He was the nominee of his party for 
the state legislature in 1914, this nomination resulting in election. 
When the legislature convened he became an active working member of the 
house and is chairman of the important committees on insurance and 
chairman of the committee on warehouses grain and grading and also 
serves as a member of other committees, proving his public-spirited 
citizenship in the helpful manner in which he is carrying forward the 
legislative work of the state. His fraternal relations are with the 
Modern Woodmen, the Ancient Order of United Workmen and the Modern 
Brotherhood of America. The hope that led him to leave his native land 
and seek a home in the new world has been more than realized, for here 
he found the opportunities which he sought and in their wise 
utilization has won prominence and prosperity and the high esteem of a 
host of friends.