Faulk County, SD Biographies.....Bottum, Joseph H. 1853 - living in 1909
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/sd/sdfiles.htm
************************************************
File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 8, 2005, 11:19 pm

Author: C. H. Ellis
    HON. JOSEPH H. BOTTUM of Faulk county, South Dakota, comes of sterling old

colonial stock, both on the paternal and maternal lines and both families are of

stanch English extractions. Record extracts show that two of the ancestors on

the maternal side were valiant 6oldiers in the continental line during the war

of the Revolution having been participants in the historic battle of Bunker Hill.



  The original patronymic in the agnatic line was Longbottom, the initial

syllable having bean dropped after the establishment of the family in America.



    Mr. Bottum is a native of the Empire state, having been born in West

Bloomfield, Ontario county, New York, on the 26th of September, 1853, being the

oldest of the eight children of Henry C. and Helen M. (Burnham) Bottum, both of

whom were born and raised in Vermont, as was also the paternal grandfather of

our subject, Roswell Bottum, who was a man of prominence and influence in the

old Green Mountain state, having served for a number of terms as a member of its

legislature and also held other offices of distinction, public trust and

responsibility.



    The original American progenitors settled in the Massachusetts colony, and

the name has been long and honorably identified with the annals of New England.

As a man the father of our subject removed to the state of New York, locating in

Ontario county, where he was engaged in the mercantile business until 1854, when

he came west to Wisconsin, settling in Fond du Lac county and became one of the

pioneers of that section.



    He was prosperous in his efforts and developed a large and valuable farm,

and is living at the age of 83 years together with his aged companion upon the

old homestead. He always took a prominent part, in the politics of county-and

state and was for three years a member of the Wisconsin legislature. Joseph

Bottum passed his boyhood on the homestead farm in Wisconsin, having been an

infant in arms at the time of his parents removal to that state, and his early

educational discipline was secured in the public schools, after which he

completed a course of study in Ripon College in the town-of that name, being

there graduated as a member of the class of 1877 with the degree of Bachelor of

Science. Shortly afterwards he entered the law office of the firm of Shephard &

Shephard, of Fond du Lac, the interested principals being leading members of the

bar of Wisconsin, and under their able preceptorship he continued his technical

study of the law, until 1880 when he was duly admitted to the bar. He

immediately came to what is known as South Dakota and located at Sioux Falls

where he remained until the spring of 1882, when he removed to Spink county,

where he engaged in newspaper work until March, 1883, when he located in the

village of LaFoon in Faulk county, five miles east of the present county seat

and was there engaged in the practice of his profession until January, 1887,

when the railroad was completed to Faulkton whereupon he removed to this point

where he has ever since been prominent in professional work and public and civic

affairs, being one of the most successful members of the county bar and being

held in the highest regard in the community as is evident from the dignified

official position which he has been called to fill in the gift of the people.



    When the county was organized in 1883, Mr. Bottum had the distinction of

being its first register of deeds, LaFoon being the county seat. From 1890 to

1894 inclusive, he served as state's attorney for the county, making an enviable

record as a public prosecutor. In 1898 he was elected to represent his district

in the state senate, serving in the sixth general assembly and in 1902 he was

again chosen ħo that important position, having gained the reputation of a

conservative and conscientious legislator, thoroughly devoted to the interest of

the people.



    In 1906 Mr. Bottum was again chosen state's attorney for his county which

office he so ably and successfully filled, that he was unanimously nominated by

the republican convention of 1908 for re-election, an action that was promptly

ratified at the November election by the electors of the county by an

overwhelming majority.



    Mr. Bottum has also served as city attorney for his home city, and upon the

creation of the tenth judicial circuit he was appointed by Gov. Vessey, judge of

the new circuit, a position which his large, extended and diversified practice

has prepared him in a marked degree to fill, with honor for himself, and to the

satisfaction of the people he will be called to serve.



    Judge Bottum is fraternally a Royal Arch Mason and is also identified with

the Knights of Pythias and the Ancient Order of United Workman. He takes great

interest in local affairs, especially along educational lines.



    In 1885 he was united in marriage with Miss Sylvia G. Smith, daughter of

Hon. D. S. Smith, and to them have been born seven children, viz: Nellie,

Fannie, Dora, Emily, Julia, Roswell and Joseph H.



Additional Comments:
From:



HISTORY OF

FAULK COUNTY

SOUTH DAKOTA

CAPTAIN C. H. ELLIS



TOGETHER WITH BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF PIONEERS AND PROMINENT CITIZENS



ILLUSTRATED

19O9

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/sd/faulk/bios/gbs4bottum.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/sdfiles/

File size: 5.7 Kb