Daniel Gawne 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 927-928

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

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DANIEL GAWNE. It is always a rare pleasure to the biographical writer 
to meet with the pioneers of any state or county; to hear them recount 
thrilling experiences amid frontier surroundings; to listen to their 
descriptions of the land which was, during those early days, 
unimproved, and which bore no semblance to the highly cultivated fields 
of the present time. Daniel Gawne is the oldest resident pioneer of 
Wayne township, Hanson county. 

Our subject was born in the Isle of Man, February 12, 1843, the 
youngest son of a family of seven children born to the union of Daniel 
and Anna (Faraeker) Gawne. Before migrating to America, and when he was 
but sixteen years of age, our subject was apprenticed to the 
carpenter's trade for four years, and when twenty-two years of age, or 
in the year 1865, he went to Chicago and there plied his trade for two 
years. From there he moved to Ashippun, Dodge county, Wisconsin, and 
made that his home until 1879, when his pioneer life in Dakota began. 
Upon leaving his Wisconsin home, he proceeded by train as far as a 
place then known as Hull, and from thence he made his way by means of a 
team and wagon to Canton, South Dakota, where he left his family and 
set out alone on a prospecting tour, finally settling on his present 
location. He at once set up a shanty, 10x 12 feet, one of the first in 
the township, but he soon after hauled lumber from Sioux Falls and 
erected a little frame house which now constitutes a part of his 
present residence. As soon as the frame house was completed, the family 
joined him and pioneer life began in earnest. His farming in Dakota has 
been principally confined to wheat raising, and his efforts in this 
line have been crowned with success until he has a good property, and 
is surrounded with such improvements and home comforts which make life 
enjoyable. Politically he is a Populist and an advocate of the policies 
of high license and equal suffrage. He makes the welfare of the 
community in which he lives a part of his business, and during the 
years 1882-83-84 he served the citizens of Hanson county in the 
capacity of county commissioner. 

In 1864, Mr. Gawne was united in marriage to Maggie Clark, who passed 
away in the year 1890. Their home has been blessed by the advent of 
seven children, three of whom are now living, and of whom we have the 
following record: Edward, deceased; Katie, deceased; Maggie, deceased; 
Adeline, deceased; Lizzie; Phoebe, who is now her father's housekeeper; 
and Harry.