Union County, SD Biographies.....Martin, Andrew August 3, 1846 - 
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Source: MEMORIAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF Turner, Lincoln, Union and Clay Counties, South Dakota. (1897)
Author: Geo. Ogle & Co.

ANDREW MARTIN, one of the best known Scandinavian citizens of Union county and
Lamont’s able postmaster, who is engaged in farming in Brule township where he has a
beautiful home, is a native of Sweden and was born August 3, 1846, a son of Martin
and Bengta (Nelson) Anderson also of Sweden. He grew to manhood in his native land
and acquired a good, practical education in the common schools of that country. In
1868 he decided to try his fortune in America and accordingly emigrated to this
country on the steamship Denmark, landing at New York, October 8, 1868, after a
voyage from Liverpool which occupied eighteen days. From New York he proceeded to
Manistee, Mich., near which town in Mason county he secured employment in a logging
camp. In July, 1869, he went to Moline, Ill., and in the fall of the same year
arrived in Dakota territory.

Our subject originally located in Spink township in August, 1869, entering 200 acres
of land in two claims, one a timber claim. On this property he erected a cabin,
hauling his lumber from Sioux Point.

He resided on his claim till 1871 when he went to Fort Sully, and on the 26th of
July, 1872, joined the expedition under Gen. Stanley's command as a government
employe. The expedition consisted of twelve companies of infantry, U. S. A., and
about 150 civilians of all occupations, the soldiers being appointed as military
escort to accompany the surveying party in establishing the route of the Northern
Pacific railroad. In this expedition he drove an ambulance through to the mouth of
Powder river on the Yellowstone, and late in October of the same year he returned,
after being discharged, to Fort Rice. Later, in 1872, he went to Cheyenne agency
where he found employment at carpentering, fitting up Indian shanties, 150 or more
in number, leaving there in 1873. He finished the first house ever built in Pierre,
Dak., which was the first carpenter work done in that part of the territory. In 1874
Mr. Martin returned to Sweden, starting from the Cheyenne agency down the river on a
flatboat constructed of cottonwood lumber in company with four companions to
Yankton, being several days on the trip. He was absent in Europe four months, and
upon his return went to Cheyenne agency where he took up carpenter work again on the
Indian houses. He found employment in many different camps at this work,
constructing in some as many as forty houses, and in the fall of 1875 he returned
home and erected a new house for himself on his claim at a cost of $400.

In 1876 a train of twenty-five wagons started for the Black Hills and Mr. Martin
accompanied them. On arrival at their destination he erected the first frame house
ever built in Deadwood, it was for Capt. Gardner and was finished in June, 1867. He
subsequently erected the second and third houses there, building them for Knuckell &
Mann and Jim Pencil, respectively. While on this trip he also constructed two
bridges, one across the Whitewood river and the other across the Deadwood. While
engaged in this work he was accidentally wounded in the knee by an adze, but not
seriously. The help he employed on the bridges cost him from $3.50 to $5.00 per day.
During 1876 he also turned his attention to prospecting and mining in the “Hills”
and a struck some good leads. He prospected carefully the ore-producing regions of
Slate creek, Spring creek, Rapid creek and Castle creek, and he held a third
interest in the “Erin” mine. He worked to many disadvantages in developing his
property and at ruinous expense. In a stock company in which he was interested the
expense sometimes ran as high as $120 per day, with but two ounces of gold to show
for it. The company paid miners a salary of $7.00 per day for eight hour shifts, and
car men $4.00.

Mr. Martin returned to his claim in 1877 from the Black Hills, and on November 17,
the same year, he married Miss Sophia C. Best, a daughter of William and Diana
(Wise) Best, and a native of eastern Pennsylvania, born August 23,	1850. When but
two and a half years of age Mrs. Martin’s parents removed to Winnebago county, Ill.,
where they carried on farming for many years, and at present reside in Davis,
Stephenson county, that state. Mr. Martin continued to reside on the homestead in
Spink township until 1883, when he sold out and bought 160 acres where he now lives.
He has been successful, and his farm is one of the best improved in the township. He
farms to grain principally, last year raising 5,375 bushels, all of exceedingly fine
quality. He keeps a fine grade of stock, and is in all respects a model farmer. He
is a very industrious, intelligent and progressive gentleman, thoroughly American in
his views and devoted to the best interests of his adopted country. He possesses
executive and administrative ability in large degree, and has a wonderfully
retentive memory, which is a source of some pride to himself and friends.
Officially, he has held many of the minor positions of the township, principally
school offices, and was appointed postmaster at Lamont in September, 1895. He is the
organizer and president of the Tornado & Cyclone Insurance company, a local company
doing a prosperous business in its particular line. Mr. and Mrs. Martin have one
daughter, Mona D., a promising and talented young lady, who has had every advantage
in educational equipment. Politically he is a supporter of the principles laid down
by the Republican party, and votes that ticket.

Mr. Martin’s father died in Sweden in 1873, aged sixty-one years, and his aged
mother, one brother, Nels, and three sisters, Mrs. M. V, Lee, Mrs. John Richou, of
Sioux City, and Mrs. F. W. Draper, of Red Lodge county, Mont., came to America in
1882.


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