Josiah C. Pickering 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. Page 911

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

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JOSIAH C. PICKERING. In the busy community located in the thriving 
little village of Virgil we find several energetic and thoroughgoing 
business men, who have attained success through their own tact, good 
judgment and perseverance. Among this number is the gentleman whose 
name introduces this biographical notice, and who at the present time 
is engaged in general merchandising. 

Mr. Pickering was born in Columbia county, Wisconsin, May 9, 1849, and 
is a son of Rev. Enoch and Fannie (Corder) Pickering, both natives of 
Staffordshire, England. The father died when our subject was only seven 
years old, while living near Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, leaving a family of 
ten children to find homes where they could. During the dark days of 
the Rebellion, our subject tried to enlist when in his fourteenth year, 
but his age barred him. However, he succeeded in entering the service 
by getting into the quartermaster's department, but while stationed at 
Johnsville, Tennessee, he contracted malaria, and at the end of three 
months was discharged on account of disability. 

Returning to Wisconsin, Mr. Pickering worked at anything he could find 
to do, and when in his seventeenth year he and his five brothers got 
together and provided a home for their mother and themselves, the four 
sisters being older and married at that time. They rented a farm near 
Poynette, Columbia county, Wisconsin, and resided there until 1880. It 
was in that year that our subject came to Beadle county, South Dakota, 
and as a pre-emption entered the northeast quarter of section 5, Cavour 
township. The next year he filed a homestead on the southeast quarter 
of section 32, Liberty township, and to the improvement and cultivation 
of his land he devoted his energies for some years. In 1886 and 1887, 
he rented his land, and resided in Wisconsin, and for two years was 
engaged in general merchandising in Cavour, South Dakota, but with that 
exception, he continued to operate his land until the spring of 1899 
when he sold the place and bought the general store of W. W. Turner, at 
Virgil, which he is now successfully conducting. 

Mr. Pickering was married January 31, 1888, the lady of his choice 
being Miss Sarah Rhoades, who was born in Columbia, Wisconsin, December 
12, 1857, a daughter of Joshua and Lucinda (Boatman) Rhoades. One 
daughter, Mildred 0., was born to them April 12, 1891 . Socially, Mr. 
Pickering affiliates with the Ancient Order of United Workmen, and 
politically is identified with the Populist party. He has usually held 
some place on the township and school boards, and during the years 1881 
and 1882 served as deputy sheriff, under David Bell, the first sheriff 
of Beadle county. Mr. Pickering is the author of the song known as "The 
Little Sod Shanty on the Claim."