John Colvin 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 224

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

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HON. JOHN COLVIN. Among the prominent men now living in Mitchell who 
have won an honorable name as a citizen of that thriving town, none is 
better deserving of representation in a volume of this nature than Hon. 
John Colvin. He has risen from the lowly walks of life to prominence by 
dint of his own efforts, backed by the indomitable will and powers of 
mind which came to him as a heritage from industrious and thrifty 
ancestors. 

In tracing the history of our subject we find that he is a native of 
County Antrim, Ireland, born April 6, 1843, and came to America with 
his parents when he was but five years of age. The family located at 
York, Livingston county, New York, where the parents still reside, the 
father at the age of eighty-three and the mother ninety four. Mr. 
Colvin is the older of two sons; the younger one, James, is now a 
resident Seattle, Washington. Our subject was reared in Livingston 
county, New York, and was educated in the common schools of that 
county. At the age of fifteen years, he began to learn the blacksmith 
trade, which was his occupation for a number of years. 

In 1862 Mr. Colvin was united in marriage to Miss Martha Trimble, a 
native of County Down, Ireland. She moved from thence, with her 
parents, to America and settled in York, Livingston county, New York, 
at the age of five years. In 1869 
our subject moved to Wyoming county, New York, and made that his home 
until 1883, when he moved to Dakota and located in Charles Mix county. 
While here he served, under Hayes' administration, as deputy marshal 
from 1884 to 1888, and he was also postmaster at Colvin for two years, 
and then resigned to move to Mitchell, where he engaged in 
blacksmithing. In 1894 Mr. Colvin was elected to the legislature, and 
is now serving his second term in that capacity. In 1897 that body 
elected him to the office of speaker of the house. Each time he has 
been entrusted with public duties he has served his constituents with 
rare fidelity and success. In politics he was formerly a Republican and 
cast his first presidential ballot for Abraham Lincoln in 1864. When 
the Populist party was formed in Dakota, Mr. Colvin became one of the 
leading spirits of that organization, although he supported Harrison. 
Socially he affiliates with the Ancient Order of United Workmen, and is 
past master of the lodge in which he holds his membership. He is also a 
member of the Congregational church. 

Mr. and Mrs. Colvin are the parents of a family of eight children, of 
whom we have the following record: Charles, an express messenger for 
the United States Express Company; William G. has charge of the office 
of the Continent Shoe Manufacturing Company, of Chicago; George A. is 
still making his home with his parents; Fred W.. city editor of the 
Sioux City Tribune; John G. is in the Western Passenger Association at 
Chicago; Minnie A., wife of Fred B. Smith, international secretary of 
the Young Men's Christian Association; they make their home in 
Englewood, Illinois; Ida B., wife of George A. Morvin, who is employed 
in a bank at LaCrosse, Wisconsin; and Emma L., a stenographer by 
occupation, and is making her home with her sister in Chicago. 

The first wife of Mr. Colvin died March 13, 1888. He married his second 
wife, Josie N. Vermilyea (a native of Pennsylvania, but a resident of 
Gilbert, South Dakota), September 1, 1889.