Biography of James J. Aplin

	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, 1898. Page 253. 

	Scan and OCR by Joy Fisher, 1997. This file may be copied for non-profit 
	purposes. All other rights reserved. 

JAMES J. APLIN, an honored and well-known resident of Britton, Marshall 
county, and an old soldier and an officer in the war of the Rebellion, 
is now performing the duties of the responsible position of cashier of  
the Citizens bank of Britton. He was born in Batavia, Genesee county, 
New York, February 2, 1846, the oldest of a family of five sons.

	Mr. Aplin's father, Norval J. Aplin, was born in the same town, 
May 31, 1821. He attended the village school and at the age of fourteen 
he entered the academy at Alexandria, New York, where he pursued his 
studies for two years. He then entered the Lima seminary and for two 
years studied the higher branches and a preparatory course for the 
ministry. He then returned home and operated his father's farm for 
three years. He then went to Orleans county and engaged in the 
mercantile business for six years. In 1853 he removed to Wisconsin and 
located near Fond du Lac, and entered the ministry in the fall of 1853, 
joining the Wisconsin conference of the Methodist Episcopal church, and 
continued to preach for thirty years continuously. In 1855 he was 
admitted into full connection and ordained deacon and in 1857 was 
ordained elder. His first charge was at Sheboygan, Wisconsin, and then 
in the following places Manitowoc, Waukesha, Wauwatosa, Watertown, 
Oconomowoc, Beaverdam, Berlin, Clementsville, Neenah, Elkhorn, Lake 
Geneva, Stoughton, Sun Prairie, Sharon, Footville, Shapeere, Wilmot and 
Salem. The last two named were a joint charge and concluded his work in 
Wisconsin. He afterward preached two years in Britton, South Dakota, 
and after that he went to California during the winter of 1894-95. He 
also visited Florida and preached for a time at De Funiak Springs. He 
was superannuated at Waukesha, Wisconsin, and lived there until 
February, 1898, when he moved to Britton, South Dakota, to make his 
permanent home. He married Miss Chalnissa Ann Sherman in Rochester, New 
York, in 1844. She was born in Palmyra, New York, February 11, 1824, a 
daughter of Gideon Sherman. To this union have been born five sons. 
Although Mr. Aplin has worked hard and faithfully in his chosen 
profession and has now reached the age of nearly four score years, he 
still enjoys a good degree of health and vigor. His labors have been 
richly rewarded and through his: instrumentality, hundreds have been 
brought to the Cross, and the realization of this is a source of great 
joy in his declining years.

	James J. Aplin, the subject of this sketch' attended school at 
the different points at which his father preached until he was eighteen 
years of age. At Janesville, Wisconsin, February 6, 1864, he enlisted 
in Company K, First Wisconsin Cavalry, and went into camp at Camp 
Randall, near Madison, under Captain Charles Wicks. They joined the 
regiment at Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Mr. Aplin was detailed orderly 
to Colonel Harnden until the close of the war. The fiercest engagement 
in which his regiment participated was at Selma. The regiment 
participated in the capture of Jeff Davis, and the reward for his 
capture, one hundred thousand dollars, was divided between two 
regiments, the First Wisconsin Cavalry and the Fourth Michigan Cavalry, 
Mr. Aplin receiving for his share two hundred and ninety-seven dollars 
and fifty cents. He performed quite a conspicuous part in this exciting 
chase, and the newspapers of Marshall county have several times 
published an account of it, speaking in high terms of Mr. Aplin's 
services. Mr. Aplin informs us that the story circulated that Mr. Davis 
was captured while going to the well for water, disguised as an old 
woman, is untrue; that the story originated from his dressing-gown, 
which was very fine and expensive, such as was worn by all Southern 
gentlemen.

	After the close of hostilities, our subject returned to his home 
in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, and worked on a farm for a short time. He 
then removed to Berlin with his father in the spring of 1866, and from 
there went to Winnebago county, Illinois, to work his father's farm. 
About four years later he left the old farm and moved to Traer, Iowa. 
where he worked for Brook & Moore for eight years. He then went to 
Grundy Center, Iowa, and was with E. H. Beckman for eight years, and 
then went to Minneapolis, Minnesota, and engaged in the grocery 
business for six months. April 1, 1886, he went to Britton, South 
Dakota, and was engaged as clerk for Job Vook & Co., in their bank for 
the period of ten years. About the time he withdrew from this firm, a 
new company was formed and a new bank was established which, within six 
months, bought out Vook & Co., and Mr. Aplin was elected cashier of the 
new bank, the Citizens Bank of Britton. He is also extensively engaged 
in farming and has been very successful.

	Mr. Aplin married Miss Alma Bates at Osage, Iowa, September 27, 
1869. She was born in Winnebago county, Illinois, November 13, 1851, 
and is a daughter of Nelson and Catherine Bates. To this union have 
been born four children, as follows: Maud, now Mrs. Charles Hamilton, 
was born in Wisconsin; Grace, now Mrs. E. Woodworth, was born in Iowa; 
Kitty, also born in Iowa; and Merle, born in South Dakota. Our subject 
is a member of the Methodist church and is one of its trustees. 
Politically he is a Republican, and has been the city treasurer. He is 
also a Knight Templar, and holds a membership with the G. A. R. and the 
A. O. U. W.