Dorman J. Bascomb Biography


	This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated
 	compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography,
	including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and 
	representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & 
	Co., Chicago, 1899. Pages 999-1000

	Scan, OCR and editing by Maurice Krueger,mkrueger@iw.net, 1998. 

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DORMAN J. BASCOMB, proprietor of the Clark Roller Mills, operated by 
his son, B. D. Bascomb, is now practically living a retired life in the 
enjoyment of a rest which he has truly earned and richly deserves by 
reason of his industrious efforts of former years. He is one of the 
highly-respected citizens of Clark, and the active part he has taken in 
the development and upbuilding of this section well entitles him to 
representation in its history. 

The name of Bascomb was formerly spelled Bascom. Our subject was born 
in Franklin county, Vermont, September 11, 1829, and was the youngest 
in a family of twelve children, only three of whom are now living. His 
parents, Asa and Abigail (Palmer) Bascomb, died in the Green Mountain 
state, the father in 1855, the mother about five years later. The older 
children took the home farm and when our subject was about ten years of 
age he went to live with a sister in Cleveland, Ohio. Soon afterward he 
commenced learning the carpenter's trade with his brother-in-law, and 
worked at the same time in Cleveland for about seven years, after which 
he returned to Vermont and was employed at his trade in St. Albans. In 
1850 he removed to Clayton county, Iowa, where he engaged in 
contracting and building with a force of twenty-six men, and 
constructed most of the buildings in Winona, Lansing and Harding. In 
the fall of 1852 he went to New Orleans and the following year to 
California, by the way of the Gulf of Mexico, across the Isthmus and 
along the Pacific coast. He remained in the Golden State until late in 
the year 1854, when he returned east by the water route, arriving in 
New York in the spring of 1855. 

The same year Mr. Bascomb located in Olmsted county, Minnesota, where 
he took up government land, and there he worked at his trade and with a 
partner built and operated the Oronoco Mills. In 1858 he embarked in 
merchandising at Oronoco and continued in business at that place until 
1882, when he removed his stock of goods to Watertown, South Dakota, by 
rail, and thence by teams to Clark, where he established the first 
general mercantile store. Five years later he sold out and bought an 
interest in the Clark Roller Mill, which was built in 1882-3, his 
partner being Mr. Wilson. He became sole proprietor in 1 890 and he and 
his son have since run it with marked success, handling many thousands 
of bushels of wheat annually. The mill has a capacity of one hundred 
and twenty five barrels of flour daily, is three stories in height with 
a basement, and has a storage capacity of thirty-five thousand bushels. 
The firm manufacture a good brand of flour which finds a ready sale at 
the highest market price. 

In 1858, Mr. Bascomb was united in marriage with Miss Mariette Crowell, 
and to them have been born five children: Minnie L., now Mrs. C. H. 
Batteson; Millie, Mrs. H. H. McCroy; Burt D., who was born in Olmsted 
county, Minnesota, April 4, 1868, and now conducts the mill; Letha, a 
reporter and type-writer; and Jay. 

In his political affiliations Mr. Bascomb is a stalwart Democrat, as is 
also his son Burt D., while in his social relations he is an Odd Fellow 
and a Mason. After a useful and honorable career he can well afford to 
lay aside all business cares and live in ease and retirement, 
surrounded by a wide circle of friends and acquaintances who esteem him 
highly for his sterling worth.