James L. Drum 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 982-983

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

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JAMES L. DRUM, whose business ability and enterprise has placed him 
among the foremost merchants of Frederick, Brown county, has 
demonstrated what can be accomplished in a new country. His present 
prosperous business was established by him in Brown county in early 
days, but after others had located in the same vicinity, and he has 
taken the lead and is now enjoying a large share of the patronage of 
the people in that community. He handles general merchandise, and is 
well known as a man of energetic spirit, and one willing to serve his 
community in a public sense. 

Mr. Drum was born in Burlington, Vermont, September 10, 1858, and was 
the seventh in a family of ten children born to H. and Kate (Nolan) 
Drum. His father was a native of Connecticut, and died in Vermont, and 
the mother of our subject passed away in Indiana. 

When a child our subject was taken by his mother to Kentland, Indiana, 
and here he attended school and lived until 1870. In that year he moved 
to Ottawa, Illinois, where he taught school and clerked for some time, 
and in 1881 joined a surveying party and went to southern Illinois, 
engaging in that work four years, after which he became shipping clerk 
for the Drummond Tobacco Company, of St. Louis, Missouri. He severed 
his connection with that company in 1888, and removed to Superior, 
Wisconsin, where he accepted a position as clerk in a hardware store, 
acting in that capacity until 1891. In that year he decided to locate 
in the west and determine what a new country had in store for him. He 
accordingly went to Frederick, and soon after his arrival engaged in 
business. His hopes have been more than realized, and he is now one of 
the substantial businessmen of that thriving town. 

Our subject was married, in Alton, to Miss Nellie Randle, a native of 
that place, and the daughter of Irwin B. and Susan Randle. Two children 
have blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Drum, named as follows: Charles 
and Eunice; both were born in Alton, Illinois. 

Mr. Drum is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and the 
Independent Order of Odd Fellows. In political faith he is a 
Republican, and is a gentleman who is well versed on public topics, and 
is strong in his convictions of right. He is always ready to push 
forward any enterprise which has for its object the advancement of his 
town and county, and he is deservedly held in the highest esteem by a 
large circle of acquaintances. He is a man of progressive spirit, well 
educated, and possessed of an indomitable will, untiring perseverance 
and business ability.