Biography of Richard P. Brokaw

	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. Pages 358-359

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


RICHARD P. BROKAW is the oldest settler in Bristol and one of Day 
county's leading citizens. Mr. Brokaw was born July 3, 1843, in Seneca 
county, New York. His parents, Joseph and Sarah (Patterson) Brokaw, were 
both natives of New York. His father was a butcher by trade and died in 
his native state. Richard was educated in the district schools of the 
Empire state and afterwards became a butcher. In July, 1862, he enlisted 
at Geneva, New York, in Company E, One Hundred and Forty-eighth New York 
Infantry, and went to the war. He served three years in the commissary 
department and issued rations during that time to from six to eight 
thousand men. He was connected with the Army of the James during the 
entire time of his enlistment. At the close of the war he went to 
Illinois and resumed work as a butcher, going into business at Joliet. A 
short time after he went to Michigan and took up fruit farming, which he 
continued for four years. He then went to South Dakota and settled upon 
a farm between Elk point and Vermillion. He spent eight years there and 
subsequently worked upon a nearby railroad for two years. In the spring 
of 1881 he removed to Day county and on June 6th of that year became a 
resident of Bristol. He helped to lay out the embryo town, bought the 
first lot, and the following spring put up the first house ever built 
there. Since that time he has been engaged in the hotel business at 
Bristol, and is one of the most genial, popular and widely known 
bonifaces in the northwestern part of the state Politically Mr. Brokaw 
is a Republican, but has never sought nor held office of any kind. He is 
a member of the G. A. R., and the last six years has been quartermaster 
of the local post. In April, 1866, he married Miss Annie M. Hyde, a 
resident of Illinois and a daughter of Elias Hyde. Mr. and Mrs. Brokaw 
are the parents of three children, Lawrence W., William L. and Abbie, 
deceased. They also have an adopted child, May.