B. V. Wilder 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 330-331

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

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B. V. WILDER There are numerous fine farms in Sanborn county which will 
compare favorably with any others in the state as regard production, 
and also as to improvements which have been made upon them. Many of 
these places are owned by men comparatively young in years, who started 
out in the world with but little more than an unlimited amount of 
energy and perseverance, and who are succeeding in an eminent degree in 
building up a comfortable home in this state. As a representative of 
this class of agriculturists, great pleasure is taken in presenting the 
subject of this notice, who is living in Butler township. 

Mr. Wilder was born in Mitchell county, Iowa, in 1862, a son of Nelson 
and Maria Wilder. The father was born in Michigan, but removed from 
Wisconsin to Iowa at an. early day. The paternal grandfather was a 
native of New York, while the mother's ancestors were from New England. 
The grandfather assisted in surveying the site of the present city of 
Chicago. In early life the father was quite a politician, and at one 
time was a candidate for governor in Iowa, but' later devoted his 
entire time to farming and preaching. 

Our subject was reared on the home farm and educated in the country 
schools of the neighborhood. Being the oldest of the family, the 
management of the farm fell upon him at the age of sixteen years when 
his father died, and he successfully operated it for his mother until 
alter his marriage in 1882. The place consisted of four hundred acres 
of land, one-half of which was under cultivation, and apples and small 
fruit were raised in abundance, but corn and hogs were the principal 
products. In 1882 Mr. Wilder married Miss Alberta Bowers, a native of 
Osage, Mitchell county, Iowa, whose father was a farmer and carpenter 
by occupation. She was reared upon a farm in Minnesota, and by her 
marriage has become the mother of seven children, five of whom are 
living. 

Coming to Sanborn county, South Dakota, in 1885, Mr. Wilder bought the 
northwest quarter of section 27, and the southwest quarter of section 
22, Butler township, and when his wife arrived the next summer he 
erected thereon a house, 14 x 20 feet, which was then the only building 
on the place. The first year he put up a temporary barn, but has since 
made more substantial improvements, including a comfortable residence, 
granary, corn cribs, and a large barn, 34 x 50 feet, erected in 1893. 
Of his three-hundred-and-twenty-acre tract he now has two hundred and 
fifty acres under excellent cultivation, has ten acres in forest trees, 
and also has a few plum trees. In 1896 he drilled a well four hundred 
and thirty-five feet deep, and from a pipe, two inches at the bottom 
and three inches at the top the water now flows constantly. This he 
uses to irrigate a small patch of land. He has eighty acres in pasture. 
At first he gave more attention to cereals, but now carries on cattle 
raising and dairying quite extensively. His best wheat crop averaged 
twenty-five bushels to the acre, but this has been offset by several 
dry seasons when he raised but little. He has, however, made a decided 
success of farming, and is numbered among the most thorough and 
systematic agriculturists, as well as one of the most highly esteemed 
citizens of his locality. In his political views he is a Populist. His 
estimable wife has efficiently served a three-year term as township 
school treasurer.