Ralph Cowles 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 1012-1015

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

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RALPH COWLES, one of the first settlers of Melette township, and at 
present one of the prosperous agriculturists of his community, is a 
native of Ashtabula county, Ohio, and was born March 4, 1836. His 
present fine estate is the southwest quarter of section 10, in Melette 
township, in Spink county. 

A brief account of the Cowles family in America is given, as follows: 
John Cowles emigrated to Massachusetts from England in 1635, thence 
removing to Hartford, Connecticut, and finally settling in Hatfield, 
Massachusetts. Our subject is a descendant of John Cowles' sixth son, 
Joseph, and is the eighth of a family of eleven children born to Joel 
G. and Sally (Hotchkiss) Cowles. He went with the family to Baraboo, 
Wisconsin, in 1856. In September, 1861, he enlisted in Company F, 
Twenty third Wisconsin Infantry, and was soon placed on garrison duty 
in Kentucky. His first engagement was at Milligan's Bend, on Yazoo 
Swamp, and he then went up the White river to Arkansas Post. Returning 
to Vicksburg, he was taken sick in March and was sent to the hospital, 
and in May, 1863, was discharged for disability. 

For some time after returning from the service our subject was unable 
to work and the first labor he attempted was farming on a homestead in 
Martin county, Minnesota. Here he remained for eleven years, after 
which he farmed in Winona county, Minnesota. He went with his family to 
Watertown, South Dakota, in June, 1879, and leaving his wife and 
children there he started for the James river, striking it at a place 
known as Armadale, about one mile and a half south of his land. His 
family soon joined him and they pitched a tent to await the erection of 
their dug-out. The home, 16x20 feet, with log sides and a dirt roof was 
soon completed, and has since been enlarged, and constitutes the main 
part of the present home. Watertown was eighty-five miles distant and 
was the nearest postoffice. The land was on the tract known as Drifting 
Goose's Reserve, and was opened for settlement at an early day, but, 
speculators by misrepresentation hoping to drive out the pioneers who 
had secured some of the richest land, succeeded in getting it closed 
again. During this time of uncertainty the Indians were somewhat 
aggressive toward the white settlers, though not dangerous, and the 
home of our subject was often crowded with fifteen or twenty Indians 
intent on watching the sewing machine which had been brought with their 
effects from the east. 

Mr. Cowles well remembers the final meeting of the Indians with the 
officials from Washington for settlement of reservation lands. It took 
place at Armadale, and a week was consumed in the arrival of the Indian 
chiefs and warriors from the different tribes in Dakota, in all about 
two hundred. The banks of the James river presented strange scenes. The 
Indians sat in the regulation circle, and the pipe passed from hand to 
hand. A settlement was finally made, and Drifting Goose went to Crow 
Creek reservation and quiet was resumed. Our subject remained through 
the uncertainty, and when the land again came into market he secured 
his farm. He now owns four hundred and eighty acres along the river, 
and with his sons is carrying on an extensive industry. A barn 28 x 48 
feet, with shed, has recently been erected, and the entire farm bears 
evidence of the best management and prosperity. 

Mr. Cowles was married in 1860 to Miss Susan Ann Chase. Mrs. Cowles 
died in 1883. Ten children were born of this union, as follows: Ida 
Luella, now Mrs. C. W. Farnam; Howard H., deceased; Bertha, now Mrs. D. 
C. Baker; Arthur B., deceased; Leona A., now Mrs. Z. Knapp; Clarence, 
farming in Melette township; Charles R., deceased; Elmer E., Walter G. 
and Susan M., deceased. Our subject remarried, Miss Julia A. Kellogg 
becoming his wife. Mrs. Cowles passed away in May, 1892, and Mr. Cowles 
again married, in 1896, Mrs. E. A. Crawford, whose maiden name was 
Eliza Markham, becoming his wife. 

Our subject is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. In his 
community he is an active worker for reform and is an advocate of equal 
suffrage, prohibition and the principles of the Populist party. He is a 
representative citizen of Spink county and worthy the esteem in which 
he is held by the members of his locality. Portraits of Mr. and Mrs. 
Cowles are presented in connection with this article.