Joseph C. Clapham 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 635-636 

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

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JOSEPH C. CLAPHAM occupies a prominent place as a well-to-do and progressive 
member of the farming community of Blendon township, Davison county. He has 
an elegant farm of three hundred acres lying in Davison and Aurora 
counties. Since his residence here he has placed upon it such 
improvements as compare favorably with the best in this vicinity and he 
has been instrumental in developing and promoting the growth of this 
section of the county. Mr. Clapham is also the manager of the Victor 
Skimming Station. 

In tracing the history of Mr. Clapham, we find that he is a native of 
Delaware county, Ohio, where he first saw the light of day March 29, 
1857. He is a son of Joseph Clapham, who was born in 1816, in 
Yorkshire, England. His mother, who is now dead, bore the maiden name 
of Miss Candace Wilcox, and was born in Connecticut in 1814. Our 
subject is the youngest of a family of five children, four sons and one 
daughter, and was reared on a farm. He received an academic and normal 
school education, fitting himself for a teacher and followed that 
calling for about ten years. During the years 1880-81, he was in the 
employ of the Kilborn & Jacobs Manufacturing Company, in the capacity 
of traveling salesman, handling road implements. In 1883, he moved to 
Dakota and purchased the relinquishment to the land he now makes his 
home, and to which he has since added by purchase until he now owns a 
fine large farm of three hundred acres. He has also placed upon his 
farm all the necessary improvements and is doing quite an extensive and 
remunerative agricultural business. The place is supplied with water 
drawn by wind power. Mr. Clapham also taught school in Dakota for eight 
years, and since 1896 he has managed the Victor Skimming Station. This 
station was established auxiliary to the Mt. Vernon Creamery. It is 
situated at Victor Post-office, and handles from eight thousand to 
twelve thousand pounds of milk per day. Politically, our subject is a 
Republican and an advocate of the policies of prohibition and equal 
suffrage. He has also served the citizens of his adopted township in 
the capacity of assessor, justice of the peace and clerk of the school 
board. 

In 1885, Mr. Clapham was united in marriage with Mrs. Mary Worthington, 
(nee Seaton) and their wedded life has been made happy by the presence 
of a bright interesting little family of five children, whose names in 
the order of their birth are as given below: Benjamin S., Robert L., 
Julia C., Charles A. and Francis Joseph.