Joseph M. Herron 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 886-887

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

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JOSEPH M. HERRON, a pioneer settler and representative citizen of 
Hanson township, Brown county, was born in Vernon county, Wisconsin, on 
a farm, in 1854. His present home is on the southwest quarter of 
section 8, township 122, range 61, and he is surrounded by all that 
goes to make country life pleasant. 

Our subject's father, W. A. Herron, was born in Ohio, and was of German 
and Irish descent. He was raised in his native state and after the 
Civil war moved to Wisconsin and engaged in farming and the mercantile 
business. The mother of our subject, who bore the maiden name of Mary 
McLease, was born and raised in Muskingum county, Ohio, and was of 
Irish descent. 

In a family of nine children our subject was the third in order of 
birth. He was raised on the farm of his father and attended the common 
schools and later the high school, and upon attaining his majority left 
home and engaged in farming for others for two years. He then returned 
to his father's farm for about three years, and in 1881 went to Cass 
county, North Dakota, and worked on a farm and at railroad work during 
the summer and returned home for the winter. He went to Brown county, 
South Dakota, in the spring of 1882, and took the southwest quarter of 
section 8, township 122, range 61, and erected a claim shanty, 14 x 16 
feet, and a small shack for a barn. He had a poor team of horses and a 
plow and he "batched" during the summer and broke land for others. He 
spent the winter of 1882--83 in Wisconsin, and the following spring 
went to Dakota where he has since resided. He broke thirty-five acres 
of land and sowed twenty acres to wheat and fifteen to oats, and the 
yield was good. He was one of the first settlers in eastern Brown 
county, and he and his partner passed through the experiences of living 
in a tent during the first summer and breaking land for others. He now 
owns six hundred and forty acres of land, all but fifty or sixty acres 
of which is under cultivation. His residence is built in two parts, one 
20 x 26, with a kitchen part, 14 x 16 feet, and his barn is 50 x 60 
feet, including machine shed. He has good water, windmill, and 
necessary machinery, and a grove of forest trees covering about five 
acres. He has a well improved farm and the visitor to his estate is at 
once pleased with its appearance, and the evident good management of 
the place. 

Our subject was married in the spring of 1883 to Miss Annie Larson, who 
was born and raised in Norway. Five children have been born to bless 
the home of Mr. and Mrs. Herron, as follows: Ray, Minnie, Guy, Walter 
and Grace. Mr. Herron was a member of the Independent Order of Odd 
Fellows while residing in Wisconsin, and a member of the Congregational 
church, and is a man of excellent character. He has served as justice 
of the peace, and his name stands for right and equity. He is a 
Republican in political faith, but is not party bound, and casts his 
vote for the man who, in his opinion, will best serve his community. He 
is public-spirited and enterprising, and since taking up his residence 
in Brown county has displayed an active interest in local affairs. He 
is deservedly held in high esteem by his associates, among whom he has 
lived so many years. He was a young man when he entered South Dakota 
and foresaw a prosperous future for that region, and his energetic 
efforts have aided in bringing about its present high state of 
cultivation.