Capt. William J. Clemons 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 1091-1092

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

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CAPT. WILLIAM J. CLEMONS, one of the first settlers of Clark county, is 
best known by the cognomen of "Captain Clemons." His life has been 
devoted in a great measure to the development of the commercial 
interests of his country, and as a captain no better man ever did duty 
aboard a vessel. His long and varied experiences in that line gave him 
ample scope for the exercise of the best judgment, and at all times he 
performed his duties with a heart for his work, and in every measure 
was a success. Since locating in Dakota he has aided materially in the 
development of the region where he has lived so many years, and 
deserves a prominent place in the annals of that country. His fine 
estate, comprising three hundred and twenty acres, is located on 
section 33, in Ash township, and here he is passing his declining 
years, surrounded by the comforts afforded by rural life. 

Our subject was born in Ontario, Canada, October 23, 1827, and was the 
eldest son in a family of four children, born to David and Charlena 
(Morse) Clemons. He devoted himself as a boy to farm work and at the 
age of fourteen years was apprenticed to a blacksmith and worked seven 
years. Upon attaining his majority he came to the United States to work 
at his trade, arriving afoot at Janesville, Wisconsin. Here he worked 
in a wagon shop and later began working for the Green Bay and 
Mississippi Canal Company at Oshkosh, on a dredge boat, and was 
employed by that company seven years, during which time he was placed 
in charge of the boat. He became captain and pilot of the United States 
steamboat Winneconne in 1871, and run her six years on the Mississippi 
and Wisconsin rivers. He next engaged in rafting and soon after run a 
passenger boat on the Fox river. He quit the water in the fall of 1881, 
and went to Dakota, striking across the country from Watertown with the 
aid of a compass. He arrived on the Western slope of the Coteous and 
took land whereon he made permanent settlement in 1882, on the south 
branch of Timber creek. He has engaged in diversified farming, and has 
about seventy head of horses, and ten to fifteen milch cows. This stock 
he has raised on his farm, and has met with success in this line. 

Captain Clemons was married in 1853, Miss Nancy E. Markley becoming his 
wife. Four children have blessed the home of Mr. and Mrs. Clemons, as 
follows: Charles E. married and residing with our subject, and 
interested with him in the work; Clarence H.; Samuel, killed in Idaho 
by a snow slide; Amber, killed in Minnesota by a boiler explosion. 

Our subject has taken an active interest in the welfare of the locality 
where he has made his home and in all matters pertaining to the 
development of the township has lent a helping hand. He has been called 
upon to fill various offices of local importance, and has discharged 
his duties in every case in a creditable manner, gaining for- himself 
an honorable reputation. He was elected county commissioner in 1884 and 
served six years in this capacity. For many years he served as chairman 
of the county board, and is at present treasurer of his township. He is 
a member of the Masonic fraternity. In political views he is a 
Republican, favors high license and opposes equal suffrage.