Mark C. Betts 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. Page 382

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

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MARK C. BETTS, manager of the Mt. Vernon Merchandise Company, dealers 
in dry goods, groceries, boots and shoes, etc., is one of Davison 
county's able and popular business men. He was one of the early 
settlers of this vicinity and located here when a young man, spending 
his whole life, since completing his education, in business in the 
village of Mt. Vernon. His life has been one of thrift and industry and 
a continued and well-directed effort to attain a good station among his 
fellow men and to promote the better interests of his adopted village. 

Mr. Betts is a native of Onondaga county, New York, born December 21, 
1865, and can trace his ancestry back to the "Mayflower." The great-
grandfather, Josiah Betts, as nearly as is known, settled in New York, 
and since that time the family have made their home in that state until 
the subject of our sketch and his father moved to Dakota. Our subject's 
father, who bore the name of Calvin Betts, was born April 19, 1839, 
followed the occupation of a farmer in New York, Michigan and Dakota, 
and is now the postmaster at Mt. Vernon. His wife, who in her girlhood 
was known as Miss Louisa Jones, was born November 30, 1844. To this 
union were born two children: Hattie, wife of H. L. Bras, of Mitchell, 
South Dakota, and the subject of this sketch. The family moved from New 
York to Michigan when Mark was a boy, and he was there reared on a farm 
and was educated in the high school of Hillsdale, Michigan. When he was 
eighteen years of age, in the year 1882, the family moved to Dakota, 
and the father filed a claim to government land and became one of 
Davison county's pioneer farmers, while Mark entered the employ of a 
general store in Mt. Vernon, owned by W. S. Toby. In 1885-86 he took a 
commercial course in Hillsdale College, and as soon as it was 
completed, in company with his father and brother-in-law, he purchased 
the Toby business. After a successful career in this capacity for three 
years, the building and its contents were destroyed by fire, and as 
there was but a small insurance, the firm suffered a loss of thirteen 
thousand dollars. During the following three years Mr. Betts made his 
living by buying grain for the Huntling Elevator Company and others. In 
1894 the Mt. Vernon Merchandise Company was formed and Mr. Betts became 
its manager. This business is still under his control and is now in a 
very prosperous condition, carrying the most complete general stock in 
the village. In politics, Mr. Betts is identified with the Republican 
party and supports the policies of anti-suffrage and high license. 
Socially he affiliates with the Masonic fraternity. He is a man of 
business, a gentleman in society and a boy with the boys, and commands 
not only the esteem of a large circle of friends but the admiration and 
respect of all who have the pleasure of his acquaintance. 

In 1889 the subject of our sketch was united in marriage to Miss Sarah 
Samuels. Mrs. Betts is a native of Wales and was born January 9, 1866.