Biography of Henry Ingram Stearns

	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 320.

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

HON. HENRY INGRAM STEARNS is one of the most extensive farmers of 
Brookings county, and a leader in municipal affairs in Brookings, where 
he resides. Mr. Stearns was born in Fairfax, Vermont, April 27, 1855, 
and is the son of Charles. Henderson and Rachel Sophronia (Ellis) 
Stearns, sketches of whom will be found in this work. Mr. Stearns is the 
only surviving offspring of his parents; his one sister, Sarah Jane, 
having died in Chatfield, Minnesota, in 1862, at the age of nine months. 
Mr. Stearns came west with his parents while a boy, and obtained his 
education in the public schools of Chatfield, Minnesota, and Sioux City, 
Iowa. In 1872 he accompanied the family to Dakota, and soon after took 
up a claim for himself near that of his father, which is on section 26, 
Brookings township. The two large farms were soon consolidated, with the 
result that Charles and Henry Stearns have now probably the largest 
single farm in the county. It comprises one thousand two hundred acres; 
nearly all of it is under cultivation. Immense crops of grain are raised 
every year, and many cattle, horses and other animals are annually sent 
to the markets of Sioux City and Chicago. Mr. Stearns has for several 
years been one of the leading horticulturists of the eastern part of the 
state, and his small fruits and early vegetables, such as strawberries, 
raspberries, cucumbers, melons, and the like have gained for him a wide 
reputation, and fetch the highest prices in the large markets. The 
culture of these products of the soil has only just begun in South 
Dakota, though both the climate and soil are admirably suited to the 
propagation of some of the most delicious of fruits and berries, as Mr. 
Stearns and a few others have amply demonstrated. There is a natural 
grove of deciduous trees upon the Stearns farm, and special attention 
has also been given to arboriculture. The grove now contains a number of 
varieties of ash, hackberry, elm, box elder, cottonwood and the willow, 
all of which are thriving, which shows conclusively that they may be 
successfully grown in the eastern part of the state, and ought in time 
to become indigenous. Mr. Stearns' efforts in the direction of fruit and 
tree culture have been noteworthy, both on account of the success which 
has attended them and the stimulus which he has given this valuable 
adjunct to the well conducted farm. Since 1892 Mr. Stearns has made his 
home in Brookings! visiting his country place whenever occasion demands. 
He has taken a prominent part in civic affairs since becoming a resident 
of the city, and was one of the organizers of the Commercial Club, which 
was formed to encourage the location of business and manufacturing 
enterprises in Brookings, advertise abroad the advantages of the city, 
and extend the good hand of fellowship to the guest within the gates. It 
has been the means of causing several large concerns to establish their 
plants in Brookings, its workings are apparent in the rapid growth of 
the city and county, and it is quite needless to say that with such 
gentlemen as Mr. Stearns at its head it has been a most pronounced 
success in a social way. Its yearly spreads, and occasional banquets to 
distinguished persons, are real events in local history, and it would 
not be putting the matter too strongly to say that the Commercial Club 
deserves as much praise as any factor in the making of Brookings. Mr. 
Stearns in former years was a Republican, but is now identified with the 
Populist party. He was active in the formation of the Farmers' Alliance 
in Brookings, and president of the Brookings county branch for four 
years. In 1890 he assisted in organizing the Populist party in South 
Dakota by attending the first state convention as a delegate. It was 
then known as the Independent party. Mr. Stearns has attended all state 
conventions since with but one exception. In, 1890 he was elected a 
representative in the state legislature from Brookings upon the 
Republican ticket, and served two years. In 1892 he accepted the 
nomination for state senator from his district on an independent 
platform, and was elected by a handsome majority, due in large measure 
to his personal popularity. Mr. Stearns is a Mason, a member of the blue 
lodge, chapter and commandery, K. T., at Brookings, and is at present 
master of the blue lodge. He is also past master of chapter 15, Order of 
the Eastern Star, and a member of the A. O. U. W. and M. W. A.

	Mr. Stearns married Miss Lucinda Isabel Smith, February 28, 1878. 
Mrs. Stearns was born in Alden, Minnesota, and is the daughter of 
William and Susan (Hunn) Smith, who came to Medary in 1875, and are 
among its earliest pioneers. Both now live in Moody county, South 
Dakota. Mr. and Mrs. Stearns are the parents of five children, Maude 
Isabel, Charles Henderson, Lottie May, Shirley Ella and Rachel 
Sophronia.