Joseph J. Urquhart Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1108-1109 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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				JOSEPH J. URQUHART. 

	Joseph J. Urquhart was a farmer for many years but is now living 
in Valley Springs, where he is engaged in the insurance business. His 
birth occurred in Cornwall, Canada, on the 27th of November, 1856, his 
parents being George and Catherine Urquhart, who removed to New York 
when their son Joseph was but eleven years of age. The family home 
remained there until he was a young man of twenty-nine years, at which 
time they removed to South Dakota, locating at Valley Springs. Mr. 
Urquhart was in the employ of others as a drayman for a year and then 
rented a farm, which he cultivated. After four years of farming he 
clerked in the store of L. S. Hetland for four years. He then purchased 
eighty acres of school land on section 16, Valley Springs township. He 
subsequently traded that property for one hundred and eighty-one acres 
on section 4 and devoted his time and energies to the cultivation of 
the land until 1914, when he returned to Valley Springs. He has since 
engaged in the insurance business, which he finds very profitable. He 
has also other business interests, as he is connected with the building 
of silos. He has disposed of his farm in Valley Springs township, 
selling it for one hundred and thirty-seven dollars per acre. 

	Mr. Urquhart was married November 10, 1886, to Miss Cenie 
Hetland, a daughter of S. S. and Margaret Hetland, pioneers of this 
state. By this marriage the following children have been born: Joseph 
Dean, a graduate of Yankton College and now principal of the Sherman 
school; Estella Irene, the wife of Nels Rogness; and Margie, at home. 
The family belong to the Congregational church and are active in the 
furtherance of its work. 

	Mr. Urquhart gives his political allegiance to the republican 
party, being one of its stalwart supporters, and he has served as 
deputy sheriff of the county for eight years, serving under three 
different sheriffs. He was himself a candidate for sheriff at two 
elections. He also served on the township board and at all times 
discharged the duties devolving upon him as an official with ability 
and conscientiousness. He belongs to the Elks and to Crystal Lodge, No. 
29, K. P. He is at present grand master at arms of the Grand Lodge of 
South Dakota of the latter organization. He was a successful farmer and 
has prospered since taking up his present business, his intelligently 
directed labor insuring him of a competence. He and his family derive 
much pleasure from motoring and use this method of travel as a means of 
visiting the points of interest in their section of the state. They are 
thoroughly identified with the interests of South Dakota, as the 
parents came here before the state was admitted to the Union and all of 
the children were born here. The many friends of Mr. and Mrs. Urquhart 
find their hospitable home an agreeable place to meet and hold them in 
the highest esteem and regard.