History of South Dakota United States of America

Andrew Ericson Lee, governor of South Dakota, was born near Bergen, Norway, March 18, 1847; son of Erie and Augusta (Anderson) Lee. He emigrated from Norway with his parents in 1851, and settled in Dane county, Wis. He was educated in the public schools of Cambridge and Whitewater, Wis.; was clerk in a store at McGregor, Iowa, 1863-67, and at Madison, Wis., 1867-69, and in 1869 removed to Vermillion, Dak. He was married, Dec. 21, 1872, to Annie M., daughter of Henry N. Chappell, of Rhode Island. He was elected mayor of Vermillion by the Populist party in 1892 and was governor of South Dakota, 1897-1901. In November, 1900, he was defeated for representative in congress.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Arthur Calvin Mellette, governor of South Dakota, was born in Henry county, Ind., June 22, 1842; son of Charles and Mary (Moore) Mellette; grandson of Arthur and Leauna (Glasscock) Mellette, and a descendant of John and Sarah (Sutter) Mellette. John Mellette wan born in France, served as a soldier under La Fayette in the American Revolution and died in Virginia in 1790, his wife dying in 1815; Arthur Mellette removed from Virginia to Henry county Ind., in 1830 and died Oct. 24, 1853. Charles Mellette died in Henry county, Ind., April 14, 1876. Arthur Calvin Mellette attended Marion academy and was graduated from Indiana university. A.B., 1864, LL.B., 1866, A.M., 1867. He served in the 9th Indiana infantry 1864-65. He practised law at Muncie, Ind, 1866-78; was elected prosecuting attorney of Delaware county in 1868; was a Republican representative in the Indiana legislature, 1872-74, and editor of the Muncie Times for several years. He was register of the land office, Springfield, Dak. Ter., 1878-80, and at Watertown, Dak. Ter., 1880-85; was a member of the state constitutional convention that met at Sioux Falls, Sept. 4, 1888, and he was elected governor of the proposed state of South Dakota under the constitution of 1885, receiving 26,994 votes to 226 scattering. The state was not admitted to the Union, however, and he was appointed governor of the territory March 12, 1889, by President Harrison to succeed Louis K. Church, Democrat. The territory was divided into two states, both of which were admitted Nov. 2, 1889. He was elected Republican governor of South Dakota, Oct. 1, 1889, and served, 1889-92. He afterward removed to Pittsburg, Kan., where he practised law. He was married May 29, 1866, to Margaret daughter of Prof. T. A. Wylie of Indiana university. He died in Pittsburg, Kan., May 25, 1896.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of South Dakota

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