Gustave Andrew Uline Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1092-1096 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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				GUSTAVE ANDREW ULINE. 

	Through important business and official connections Gustave 
Andrew Uline became widely and favorably known in Dell Rapids and 
throughout the state, so that when death called him his passing brought 
great regret and sorrow to the many friends whom he left behind. His 
life was varied in its activities, and its usefulness as a factor in 
the material, social, religious, political and intellectual progress of 
the community was recognized by all. 

	Mr. Uline was born in the province of Vermland, Sweden, on the 
12th of October, 1849. He came from a highly gifted Swedish family. His 
father, Anders Uline, was a man of giant strength and intellect, an 
inventor and architect, who received medals of honor from three 
countries, Sweden, England and Austria. His mother, Charlotte Birath, 
was descended from a noble German-French family. She was a woman noted 
for her beauty and culture. Mr. Uline finished a course at a technical 
school in Sweden at the age of eighteen, then came to the United 
States, landing in 1867. He made Michigan his destination, but after 
about five months spent in that state he removed to Wisconsin, where he 
remained for a half year. He then went to northwestern Minnesota and in 
the spring of 1870 he became a resident of Cherokee, Iowa. At this time 
his financial resources had become greatly reduced, and it was with 
difficulty that he obtained remunerative employment, but a man of 
determination and energy such as Mr. Uline possessed does not easily 
become discouraged. It is said that opportunity tauntingly plays before 
the dreamer but surrenders to the man of determined purpose, and such 
proved the case with Mr. Uline He secured work in Cherokee at eight 
dollars per month and utilized his opportunity of securing a claim in 
that locality, taking up land where the city of Sheldon now stands. 
This he afterward sold for fifty dollars. At that time there had been 
only one other claim entered in that district. 

	On the 5th of July, 1871, Mr. Uline left Cherokee for Jackson, 
Minnesota, and for three years thereafter was an employee in the store 
of J. W. Cowing. On the 5th of March, 1874, he started for Dell City, 
Dakota, and with the seven hundred dollars which he had saved from his 
earnings and which represented the results of industry and the most 
careful expenditure, he resolved to engage in business on his own 
account. Even when receiving a wage of but eight dollars per month he 
had managed to save a little money, which he invested wisely, and thus 
it was that in 1874 he came to this state with a tidy sum. At the time 
of his arrival in Dell City there were only two buildings upon the 
present site of the city of Dell Rapids. On his pony he approached a 
man whom he saw sawing wood saying that he was looking for Dell City. 
"You're right in it," came the answer. A store had been established in 
Dell City in 1872 by a man of the name of Cowing (a brother of his 
recent employer), but his mother had died and he grew melancholy and in 
sixty days after he had commenced business he shot himself. Mr. Uline 
was sent by the brother of the deceased to inspect the store and stock 
of goods and other holdings of the suicide and, believing the location 
a good one, was glad to avail himself of the opportunity of purchasing 
the business. Thus it was that he took up his permanent abode in the 
town. His store was a little north of the old Van Eps mill and there 
Mr. Uline began business, his stock consisting of a thousand dollars 
worth of goods, on which he paid a dollar and a quarter per hundred to 
get them transported from Sioux City, Iowa, the nearest railroad 
station. Mr. Uline was the first merchant to open a general stock in 
Dell Rapids and from the beginning his trade steadily increased and 
continued to grow during the seventeen years of his connection with the 
business. He carefully studied the market and the desires of his 
patrons, and by fair and honorable dealing and reasonable prices won 
very substantial success. After a time he abandoned his first location 
and erected a small two-story building on the corner just west of the 
First National Bank of today, living on the second floor and carrying 
on his business below. In 1892 he organized the l)ell Rapids State 
Bank, of which he became the president, remaining as the chief 
executive officer of the institution until his death, which occurred on 
the 19th of December, 1914. He made the bank one of the strong and 
reliable financial institutions of his county and it proved a valuable 
factor in the business circles of the community. He was also a director 
of the First National Bank of Dell Rapids and the Minnehaha National 
Bank of Sioux Falls. 

	In 1877, at Sioux City, Iowa, Mr. Uline was united in marriage to 
Miss Charlotte Wilhelmina Friborg, a Swedish lady of New York city, who 
is a woman of education and ability. He brought his bride to Dell 
Rapids to share his home and she proved indeed a faithful and able 
helpmate. They became the parents of six children, as follows: Alfred 
G., who died in early childhood; Alma C., at home; Mary D., who is now 
a missionary in Bitlis, Turkey-in-Asia; Grace B., who is engaged in 
teaching at Sandpoint, Idaho; Minnie F., at home; and Augusta D., who 
is a senior at the University of Montana. The mother and daughters 
survive the husband and father, who was ever most devoted to his family 
and enjoyed more than all else the companionship of those of his own 
household. He found the greatest happiness of his success in the fact 
that it enabled him to provide liberally for his wife and children, and 
to them he left practically the entire fortune which he had 
accumulated. 

	Aside from his business connections Mr. Uline was a prominent 
factor in the public life of Dell Rapids, serving in many official 
positions during the days of villagehood and after the town had become 
a city. Governor Pierce appointed him a member of the board of 
directors of the Dakota penitentiary at Sioux Falls, in which capacity 
he served for several years, and in 1889 he received an appointment to 
the same position from Governor Mellette, continuing for one year. He 
was a member of the commission sent from Dakota territory to 
Washington, petitioning congress that Dakota be admitted as a state. 
After South Dakota came into the Union he was appointed a member of the 
state board of charities and corrections and was its first president. 
He also served as colonel on the staff of Governor Mellette. He studied 
closely the significant problems and issues of the day bearing upon 
sociological, economic and political conditions of the world. He was a 
well read man and from life's experience he learned many practical 
lessons. One of the local papers said of him: "Gust Uline had an army 
of friends throughout Minnehaha county and the southern part of Moody 
county. He had grown up among those people and he was known by all as a 
warmhearted friend and an upright business man." Mr. Uline was one of 
the most earnest members of the Baptist church of Dell Rapids, and he 
lived for his religion as well as for his general business. His pastor 
spoke of him as of a "consistent, faithful member." For eighteen years 
he was superintendent of the Baptist Sunday school, and at the time of 
his death was a deacon of the church. He was a great help to the 
ranchers throughout his section of the state, for it was his custom to 
advance them loans when crops were slow or bad, and he never foreclosed 
a mortgage. He was always a friend to the "square" man who wanted 
assistance. Mr. Uline was one of the leaders in the organization and 
promotion of the Minnehaha County Early Settlers Association, and in 
that and other organizations with which he was connected he had many 
stanch and loyal friends. He belonged to the Masonic fraternity and 
when he passed away that organization conducted the funeral services, 
which were largely attended by members of lodges from other towns, 
while Dell Rapids paid its last tribute of respect to one who had long 
been known and honored there. His salient characteristics were such as 
everywhere command confidence and regard. He was always approachable, 
was genial in manner, kindly in spirit and was most loyal to the 
principles which he endorsed and to the causes which he espoused.