James J. Borah 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 294

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

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JAMES J. BORAH. In whatever vocation engaged the progressive man is the 
successful man. A man of advanced ideas, who thinks for himself, plans 
for himself, and by his energy makes those plans succeed, becomes 
involuntarily a man of distinction and a blessing to his community. 
Such a personage is the subject of this review. He is making a success 
of farming in Allen township, Beadle county. 

Mr. Borah was born in Grant county, Wisconsin, June 19, 1858. He was 
the fourth child of a family of ten, six of whom grew to maturity, born 
to Jacob and Sarah McKinney. The family made a trip to the western 
coast when our subject was about five years of age, and on their return 
located in Pottawattamie county, Iowa, in 1871. Our subject located in 
Dakota in the spring of 1883. Three years later he disposed of property 
which he had in Iowa and applied the proceeds toward the improvement of 
his Dakota farm. Water was scarce, and, until 1892, when he secured an 
artesian well, he did not invest in stock. He and a neighbor invested 
in an artesian well outfit and have since engaged in digging wells. Our 
subject is well supplied with farm machinery, including a threshing 
outfit. His farm is most attractive and shows his energy and skill in 
the adaptation of the natural resources of the country, toward beauty 
and comfort, and the obtaining of wealth. He owns a section of land and 
in 1892, a flow of artesian water was obtained, which he utilizes in 
watering his stock and irrigating a small garden of one acre, where he 
raises an abundance of fine vegetables and small fruits, including 
currants, gooseberries and strawberries. His orchard of crab trees is 
bearing splendidly and a few larger apples have been raised. His grove 
of trees, comprising ash, poplar, box elder and cottonwood, is one of 
the finest in the country, and provides the only shade for miles 
around. His residence is a pretty cottage, forty-four by twenty-four 
feet, and is neatly decorated. 

Our subject was married in 1886 to Miss Lizzie Bailey, a native of 
Minnesota. Six children complete the home circle and bear the following 
names: Lloyd V., Edith L., Sarah H., Mildred, Delbert R. and Carroll V. 
Mr. Borah is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. In 
political sentiment he is a Republican and favors high license. His 
pleasing personality brings him many stanch friends, and marks him as 
one of the representative men of Beadle county.