Joseph Elsom 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 406-409

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

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JOSEPH ELSOM. As a patriotic citizen, an ex-soldier, and an extensive 
land owner and grain buyer of Spink county, the gentleman whose name 
heads this article needs little introduction to the citizens of South 
Dakota. He took up his residence among them when life in the new 
country was anything but comfortable, and throughout his career has 
shown to those among whom he has made his home a spirit of loyalty to 
every just cause, and has assisted as much as lay in his power in 
making of that region a district of pleasant surroundings and sound 
financial status. As a soldier none who risked their life blood for 
their country's cause did so with more loyalty than he and his service 
is one of which any soldier may feel justly proud. Bravery, 
faithfulness, and honesty have been the dominant traits of character of 
this gentleman, and his home is one of comfort and pleasant 
surroundings. His home estate is on section 17 in Northville township. 

Mr. Elsom was born in Louth, England, December 13, 1841. His father was 
by trade a shoemaker and followed this until 1853, when he emigrated to 
St. Andrews, New Brunswick, where he remained for one winter, and he 
and our subject worked on the railroad. In the spring following they 
came to Orleans county, New York, and rented a farm on shares, the 
father remaining there until his death in 1856. Our subject worked near 
his old home until 1858 when he went to the lumber region of Canada. He 
returned to Orleans county, in 1860, and the following year, October 
15, 1861, enlisted in Company F, Eighth New York Volunteer Cavalry. He 
was ordered immediately to the front and from Washington to Shenandoah. 
He saw the battle flag unfurled on fifty hard fought fields, including 
Winchester, Harper's Ferry Antietam, Barbour's Cross 'Roads, 
Chancellorsville, Beverly Ford, Gettysburg, Brandy Station, Culpeper 
Court House, Wilderness, Cold Harbor, and Petersburg. He stayed until 
December 8, 1864, and was then discharged at Rochester, New York. 

Returning to his home in Orleans county, New York, he purchased a small 
farm, which he worked until the spring of 1881, when he went to Dakota 
and filed a soldier's declaratory for himself and his mother, 
comprising the north half of the north half of section 17, in 
Northville township, Spink county. His family joined in the new home in 
October of that year. The first year he broke about twenty acres and 
sowed it to sod corn and oats. He in partnership with his two youngest 
sons has a farm of one thousand acres under control and has about six 
hundred acres of crop annually, and about four hundred acres of 
pasture. He winters from forty to forty-five head of cattle and fifteen 
horses, and keeps about eighteen hogs. He is an extensive grain buyer, 
engaging in this business from his residence in Dakota to the present 
time. He was snow bound in his office near town in the blizzard of 1 
888, and his lunch consisted of cracked and boiled wheat. 

Our subject was married August 26, 1860, to Miss Jane Harmer, of 
Orleans county, New York, who had emigrated from England several years 
previous. Nine children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Elsom, as 
follows: Nancy Ann, died in 1864; Emma Jane, died in 1865; Thomas 
Henry, superintendent of Inland Telephone and Telegraph Company of 
Spokane Falls, Washington; Annie Laurie, now Mrs. Kingsley, living nine 
miles north of the old homestead; Charles W., proprietor of a fruit 
store in Northville; Everett John, on the home farm; Wilson J., also at 
home; Mary Elizabeth; and Eliza Jane, who died when an infant. The last 
two named were twins. Mr. Elsom is a prominent resident of Spink 
county, and in the county seat war was a strong advocate of Redfield. 
Since the Fremont campaign he has been a Republican, and during that 
time was one of the "black abolitionists" and still believes in "old 
glory" "floating forever where necessity of war has sent it." He favors 
high license on the liquor question, and opposes equal suffrage. He is 
an attendant at all county conventions and many of the state 
conventions and is an ardent worker for the principles of his party. A 
portrait of Mr. Elsom is presented on another page.