MARSON, Thomas C., is a native of Nottingham, England, and was born January 4, 1834.  In 1846 he emigrated with his parents to the United States and settled in Rochester, New York.  In 1855 he went to Rochelle, Ill., where he worked at the carpenter’s trade, which he had learned in early life.  He remained there until he removed to Sioux Falls in August, 1876, where he has since resided, engaged in contracting and building.  He was a member of the Masonic order before coming to Dakota, and is one of the oldest Masons in Sioux Falls.  He is a good citizen.

MARTY, Rt.Rev. Martin, first bishop of the Catholic diocese of South Dakota, was born in Schwytz, Switzerland, January, 12, 1834.  There was a Jesuit college at that place, where he began the study of Latin when nine years of age.  He took a philosophical and theological course in the Benedictine Abbey of Einsiedeln, becoming a member in 1854, and was ordained a priest of the Roman Catholic church in 1856.  After teaching for some time in the college he came to the colony which the Abbey had started in St. Meinard, Spencer county, Indiana.  When this colony was made an Abbey by Pius IX in 1870, he was by him appointed its first Abbot, and remained there until 1876, when he came to Standing Rock Agency, Dakota, to continue among the Sioux Indians the work begun by Father DeSmet, S.J.  In 1879 Dakota Territory became a Vicariate Apostolic, of which he was put in charge as Bishop of Tiberias, and when Leo XIII erected the Diocese of South Dakota in 1889, he became its first Bishop.  His field of labor was a large one, extending over more than 150,000 square miles, with a population of less than one white person to the square mile, and his labor was greatly enhanced by the difficulties in reaching the people he had in charge.  Until the 27th of December, 1889, when the Rt. Rev. John Shanley was consecrated bishop for North Dakota, Bishop Marty had performed the duties of his office with great energy and fidelity in the whole of the Territory of Dakota, suffering many wants and privations with true apostolic spirit.  He remained Bishop of South Dakota until about the first of January, 1895, when he was transferred to St. Cloud, Minnesota.  He left behind him the evidence of having performed a great work, for under his administration over one hundred churches had been built, and sixty stations, seven academies, eighteen parochial schools and six Indian Missions had been established.  It is no wonder that the health of the good bishop had been impaired, and he had richly earned a transfer to a diocese more compact, whose care would require less physical exertion, where he could spend the declining years of a busy life surrounded with such comforts as a frontier diocese had denied him.  Bishop Marty was well and favorably known throughout the Dakotas, and during the few years he made his residence in Sioux Falls he greatly endeared himself to his people, who deeply regretted his departure.
     Since writing the foregoing biographical sketch, the devout bishop has gone to receive the reward awaiting those who have labored faithfully in the Master’s vineyard. He died at St. Cloud, Minnesota, on the morning of September 19, 1896, where, during his short residence he became greatly beloved not only by the people of his church but by all with whom he came in contact.  The funeral was held from the cathedral in St. Cloud, September 23, and was the largest that had ever taken place in that city.  Bishop Ireland preached the funeral sermon and about 100 priests were in attendance.  The remains were escorted to Calvary cemetery by the four local Catholic societies, followed by a procession which called into requisition every vehicle in the city.

MAY, Edward, was born near New Orleans, La., November 6, 1855; was educated at the public schools and at the University of Virginia and then engaged in the cotton trade with his father at his native city.  When twenty-two years old he became a member of the Board of Trade in Chicago and also of the Union League Club, which membership he retained until 1895.  In 1883 he established the Turner County Bank at Hurley, Turner county, this state, where he remained until July, 1889, when he removed to Sioux Falls, where he has since resided engaged in the real estate business.  He is very popular in social circles, is a good business man and highly esteemed as a citizen.

McGARRAUGH, John T., was born in Ohio July 13, 1842, and moved with his parents to Iowa when seven years of age.  In 1861 he enlisted for three years in the 14th Iowa Infantry, and served as a non-commissioned officer three years and three months.  In 1869 he went to Clay county, Dakota, and in the fall of 1870 came to Sioux Falls and pre-empted the southeast one-fourth of section 28, in the township of Sioux Falls, where he has since resided.  He has a valuable quartzite stone quarry on his farm and is the owner of 480 acres of land in Lincoln county.  During his long residence in Sioux Falls he has been highly respected as a neighbor and a citizen.

McKEE, John, is a native of Belfast, Antrim county, Ireland, and was born June 5, 1847.  He worked on a farm and attended school until sixteen years of age when he commenced work in a harness shop and continued at this work until he was twenty-one years old, at which time he emigrated to the United States.  He came first to New York city, where he worked for awhile at his trade, but concluded that he would not settle down until he had seen something of the country.  He then went to Pennsylvania, Illinois and Iowa, working at his trade, and arrived in Sioux Falls in September, 1871.  Soon after he pre-empted the south half of the northwest one-fourth and the east half of the southwest one-fourth of section 31, in Benton township, lived in a dugout for about six months and then went to Sioux Falls and opened a harness shop in the barracks.  From that time until the fall of 1892 he continued in this business. He has been successful in business and owns some fine city property as well as large tracts of farm land in this county, which he manages himself.  In the fall of 1883 he was elected county commissioner from the city and by re-elections continued in office until January, 1893, having been chairman of the board since January 1, 1886.  During the time of this chairmanship the court house was built, and while it was being constructed he could be found more frequently at the court house site than at his own place of business, and was universally acknowledged to be a careful, painstaking official.  The writer has been a near neighbor of his for several years and can testify that no one could be more accommodating than Mr. McKee, and all who know him will admit that he is a good citizen.

McKINNEY, Charles E., is a native of Ulster, Pennsylvania, and was born March 16, 1858.  He worked on a farm and attended the district schools during his youth; attended school at Hamilton, N.Y., one year, and the Cook Academy at Havana, N.Y., three years, where he graduated; studied law one year at Detroit, Michigan, and one year at Ann Arbor, Michigan; then went to Lanesboro, Minnesota, where he remained one year, and came to Sioux Falls in November, 1880.  After his coming to Sioux Falls he entered into a copartnership for the purpose of doing a banking business.  The name of the firm was Easton, McKinney & Scougel, and it established banks at Sioux Falls, Yankton and Dell Rapids.  In December, 1882, Mr. McKinney organized the Sioux Falls National Bank, and from then to the present time he has been its president.  He was admitted to the bar in 1889; has been a member of the city school board, and was a member of the commission appointed to adjust the financial matters between North and South Dakota when they assumed statehood.  In 1891 and 1892 he was one of the railroad commissioners of South Dakota.  He has always been an enterprising, active, energetic citizen, occasionally taking a hand in local and state politics, but has devoted his time principally to financial matters, in which he has the reputation of being cool-headed and successful.

McKINNEY, Dennis L., was born in Ulster, Bradford county, Pennsylvania, October 14, 1855.  During his youth he worked on a farm, and knows what it is to bind grain by hand with a sprinkling of Canada thistle intermixed.  He received a common school and academic education and graduated from the Lewisberg University in 1872.  He then took a course in medicine, and graduated from the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania at Philadelphia, in 1878; after which he practiced medicine in Oneida county, New York, until he removed to Sioux Falls, where he arrived on the 6th day of May, 1881, and has remained there since then.  He became connected with the bank of Easton, McKinney & Scougal, and manager of the McKinney Loan & Investment Company, which position he still holds.  He has also been connected with the Sioux Falls National Bank since its organization, of which he is a director, and has been its vice president since 1890.  He was the first president of the Sioux Falls Business Men’s League, and was alderman from the Sixth ward for three years, but is best known as one of our prominent business men, taking great interest in promoting the prosperity of South Dakota.  Positive, energetic, and enterprising, he is widely and favorably known in business circles.

McKINNON, Thomas, was born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1860, and came to this country with his parents when nine years of age, and located at Evanston, Ill., where he received his education.  In 1876, he went to Wisconsin, where he resided until he removed to Sioux Falls, in 1879 which place has since been his home.  He was employed in carpenter work until 1886, and since that time has been a contractor and builder.  In 1889, he was elected alderman from the Fourth ward, and through re-elections served as such until May, 1896.  He was a representative from this county in the legislature in 1895, and was elected county commissioner in November, 1898, for the term of three years. He is a conservative, careful official, a good citizen, and is a hard man to beat at the polls.

McMARTIN, Thomas Bell, was born in Fairfield, Iowa, October 30, 1857; removed with his parents to Dixon, Illinois, in 1865, where he received his education, studied law, and was admitted to the bar March 18, 1879; practiced law at Dixon for about one year, and in April, 1880, came to Sioux Falls, where he has since resided, devoting his time to his profession.  He was clerk in the law office of Kershaw & Flagg for about nine months, and then formed a copartnership with Eugene Coughran, which continued until October, 1889.  During this time he had a constantly growing practice, and was employed in some very important cases which he conducted with a good deal of ability.  During the year 1889, he formed a copartnership with Judge Carland under the name of McMartin & Carland, which firm existed until the 23d day of September, 1893, when it was dissolved, and Mr. McMartin has since been in practice by himself.  He has had considerable experience as attorney for receivers of insolvent institutions, having been employed by the receivers of the First National Bank of Sioux Falls, the Chamberlain National Bank, the Madison National Bank, the Bank of South Dakota at Madison, Lake county,  the Dakota National Bank, and the Insurance Company of Dakota.  In the case of the Sioux Falls National Bank vs the First National Bank of Sioux Falls, which grew out of the attachment of the assets of the First National by the Sioux Falls National, Mr. McMartin won the admiration of the bar by his persistent and successful prosecution of the case on the part of the defendant bank.  He was defeated in the circuit and supreme courts of the state, but took the case to the United States supreme court and there prevailed.  He did this against the advice of the comptroller of the currency and the opinions of distinguished lawyers.  Since his residence in Sioux Falls, he has been United States Commissioner several years.  He is well liked by the legal profession, is genial and companionable and has a host of friends.

McNULTY, Owen T., was born at Delavan, Wis., February 20, 1864, was reared on a farm and educated in the public schools, and at the college of the Sacred Heart at Prairie De Chien, Wis., where he was graduated in June, 1887.  On the 13th of October, following, he arrived in Sioux Falls; taught school in Benton during the fall and winter, and then came back to Sioux Falls, and when W.W. Cooke was appointed county auditor went into his office as chief clerk, and remained there six months.  In December, 1888, he went to Wisconsin, but retuned the following spring and taught school at Rowena.  During the fall of that year he became proprietor of the hotel at South Sioux Falls, but left it soon after and taught school in the Oaks district in Wayne.  During the spring of 1890, he went into the restaurant business in Sioux Falls, and has been engaged in this and the hotel business since then.  He is an enterprising, good business man, well informed, and is a respected citizen.

MEREDITH, Rev. Evan Bradley, was born April 19, 1853, in Kenosha county, Wisconsin.  His father was a Baptist minister, and moved to Columbia county in the same state, in 1855, where he continued to preach, and conducted the affairs of his farm with the aid of hired help.  The subject of this sketch worked on the farm, attended school, and taught district and singing schools until he was nineteen years of age, at which time he became a student in Wayland Academy at Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, graduating in 1875.  Immediately thereafter, he entered the University of Chicago, where he graduated in 1879, and then entered the Baptist Union Theological Seminary at Morgan Park, Chicago, where he graduated in the spring of 1882.  During the seven years he was pursuing his studies at Chicago, he was also actively engaged in a variety of enterprises, with a view of defraying his expenses, which he successfully accomplished.  During the vacations he sold good in no less than thirty-three states and territories, and was quite extensively engaged in the publishing business.  The Chicago Grocer and Mercantile Review was established by a stock company, having 200 shares of stock, of which he owned 196 shares.  He was connected with and had an interest in the Western Druggist and Medical Review, and also in the Biblical World.  In the fall of 1882 he sold out his Chicago interests and accepted a call to become the pastor of the First Baptist church at Sioux Falls.  He arrived in this city on the 23d day of December of that year and immediately entered upon the duties of his pastorate.  Soon after this he was elected one of the directors of the Sioux Falls College and was made chairman of the executive committee.  At the expiration of two years and a half he resigned his charge over the Baptist church, and accepted the presidency of the college.
     The difficulties surrounding the early days of nearly all institutions of like character, have not been wanting in the history of the Sioux Falls College, but Mr. Meredith for ten years with great zeal and generosity, labored in its interest.  He also contributed several thousand dollars of his own means to support while he was president.  Mr. Meredith for several years was one of the largest real estate dealers in Sioux Falls, and had charge of some of the most important transactions in that line.  He was a director and president of the Security and Guaranty Company, director and vice president of the Commercial Trust Company, director of the Union Trust Company and one of the directors of the Union National Bank; all of these institutions having their business headquarters in the city of Sioux Falls.  He was also a director, and largely interested in the Eureka Milling Company, and was one of the promoters of the Wagon and Carriage Company, located west of the city.
     That Mr. Meredith led an active, busy life, and was energetic and enterprising while a resident of Sioux Falls the foregoing most amply demonstrates.  As a citizen he was well liked and highly respected, as a neighbor none could be more kind and obliging, and when he left the city of Sioux Falls in 1895, the expression of regret at his departure was universal.

MIKKELSEN, Rev. Amund, was born in Norway in 1835, and emigrated to the United States in 1853; taught in the public schools for three years; studied for the ministry at Fort Wayne, Ind., and at St. Louis, Mo., and was ordained and entered the ministry in 1864.  During that year he was married to Miss Ingeborg Nelson of Wisconsin, and remained in the same state in charge of a congregation until 1874, when he removed to Chicago to take charge of a congregation, and remained there until 1889.  During that year he received a call to come to Sioux Falls and become principal of the Lutheran Normal School., which he accepted, and held this position until 1891, when he resigned, but remained as one of the teachers in the school until 1896, when he again assumed the duties of principal, and has since been at the head of the faculty.  Professor Mikkelsen is possessed of all the requisites for the successful administration of this institution of learning, is scholarly, of equable temperament, companionable with the teachers and scholars, but firm in matters of discipline.  He quite frequently supplies the pulpit in the St. Olaf’s church in the city, and is an able preacher.  He is an earnest Christian worker, and since coming to Sioux Falls he and his estimable wife have greatly endeared themselves to a large circle of acquaintances.

MILLS, Thomas Jefferson, is a native of Illinois.  His parents came to New York with four other families and settled in Chicago for some time, and then removed to what is now the city of Aurora, Kane county, Illinois, where the subject of this sketch was born on the 22d day of September, 1837.  When two years of age he removed with his parents to a farm in Lake county, Illinois, and lived there until he was seventeen years old.  During the winters he attended the district school in a log school house, with slabs for seats, and received for any dereliction of duty the customary punishments in vogue at that time from the Atlantic ocean to the Mississippi river—of sitting between two girls, holding his finger on a nail in the floor, or standing on a dunce block with a long paper hat on his head.  In this manner Thomas received an education.  When seventeen years of age he went to Chicago and worked as an apprentice at the carpenter’s trade for three years, and then returned to farm life at his old home until October 9, 1861.  At this date he enlisted in a cavalry company attached to the 52d Illinois infantry regiment.  In 1863 this company became Company G, of the 15th Illinois cavalry.  On the 22d day of August, 1864, he received his discharge and went home, where he remained one year and then went to Oskosh, Wisconsin, where he resided until the first day of January, 1870.  At the last mentioned date he removed to Olmsted county, Minnesota, and resided there until he came to Sioux Falls on the 31st day of May, 1871, where he has since resided.  He has worked at his trade since living in Sioux Falls, and during six years of the time was in the employ of C.K. Howard.  Mr. Mills has always been regarded as a kind neighbor and exemplary citizen.

MONSON, Martin, was born in Skien, Norway, July 13, 1870, and emigrated to the United States, arriving at Sioux Falls in this county on the 6th day of June, 1888, where he has since resided.  He worked at his trade of carpenter until March, 1898, when he became clerk in the county auditor’s office, and on the first day of June following, was appointed deputy auditor, which position he held until the spring of 1899.  He is quite active in political matters, makes a good official, and is a good citizen.

MORCOM, Edmund D., was born in Lafayette, county, Wisconsin, September 5, 1859, but when quite young moved with his parents to Hazel Green in the same state.  He attended the common schools, and completed his education in the Normal school at Platteville, Wisconsin, and then engaged in teaching school for two years; clerked awhile in a general store, and for a few months traveled for the Andreas Publishing Co. of Chicago; solicited insurance in Iowa a short time, and then was employed as secretary by the superintendent of the commissary department of the C., B.&Q.R.R. Co. until he removed to Sioux Falls in February, 1883, and entered the employ of the Insurance Company of Dakota; remained with this company until 1887, and then became the assistant secretary of the Western Fire & Marine Insurance Co., and held this position until it went out of business.  In 1891 went to New Orleans in the employ of the Milwaukee & Mechanics Insurance Co., and remained there one year; then returned to Sioux Falls, and engaged in the insurance business with John S. Lewis, under the firm name of Morcom & Lewis.  On the 1st day of December, 1895, entered into a copartnership with E.S. Knowles in the insurance business, under the firm name of Morcom & Knowles, which copartnership still continues.  He is the special agent for South Dakota of the National Fire Insurance Co. of Hartford, Conn.; has been a member of the school board of the city of Sioux Falls four years, three years of which he was its president.  Mr. Morcom is a good business man, an enterprising citizen, active in political matters, and socially—well, he has been king of a carnival.

MORGAN, Dr. John Cass, was born on a farm in Portage county, Ohio, on the 4th day of February, 1843.  While quite young he moved with his parent to Rock county, Wisconsin, where he remained until twelve years old.  In 1855 went to Minnesota, where he resided until 1859, and then returned to his old home in Wisconsin.  During his youth he worked on a farm, attended the common school, and took a partial academic course, and at the time of the breaking out of the rebellion had commenced the study of medicine.  In 1861, he enlisted in Co. D, 7th Wis. Inf., and remained in the service until July, 1865; was wounded in the battle of Gettysburg, and on the 31st day of March, 1865, was again wounded while in battle, and this time so seriously that an amputation of one of his feet became necessary.  After the war he resumed the study of medicine, attended the Medical University of Michigan, and finally graduated at Rush Medical College in 1869.  Immediately after his graduation he commenced the practice of medicine in Frankville, Iowa, where he remained until he removed to Sioux Falls in April, 1873.  When he arrived in Sioux Falls there were three other physicians in the county, Dr. J.L. Phillips and the two Drs. Roberts, father and son.  Dr. Morgan took up a timber claim in Lincoln county, and a homestead and pre-emption in Benton township, this county, and has also purchased other real estate so that at the present time he is the owner of 1,010 acres of land.  Since his residence in Sioux Falls, he has been actively engaged in the practice of his profession, and a long list of the early settlers will always employ him when needing medical attendance.  He was county physician ten years, and for the same length of time the only pension examiner at Sioux Falls, and then one of the board of pension examiners, consisting of himself, Dr. LeBlond and Dr. Olney, for ten years more; was the health officer of the city of Sioux Falls several years, and the physician at the penitentiary and the school for deaf mutes since the location of these institutions until June, 1899.  He has been a prominent member and official of the Minnehaha County Medical Society since its organization, and its president one year.  He never could balance himself on a fence for a minute.  He is always on one side or the other of every proposition that is of public interest, and within his circle everybody is aware which side he is sustaining.  He is an energetic, honest citizen, a good friend, and, for a short time, a fairly good hater.  As a neighbor he is kind and obliging.

MORSTAD, Peter J., was born near the city of Christiania, Norway, on the 27th day of December, 1853.  He came to the United States in 1870, and worked on a farm near Albert Lea, Minnesota for about five years; was traveling agent for a machine company known as Fuller, Johnson & Co., four years, and was clerk in a mercantile store two years and a half.  In 1881 he moved to Grand Forks, North Dakota and engaged as clerk in M.I. Mendelson’s clothing store for about seven months, when he and A. Christopherson bought the stock and continued the business under the firm name of Morstad, Christopherson  & Co. for about three months.  On the 18th day of December, 1882, the building occupied by them was destroyed by fire and being unable to rent another building at that place they removed to Sioux Falls, where the clothing firm of Morstad & Christopherson has done a successful business since then.  Mr. Morstad was elected alderman from the Fifth ward in 1894, and was re-elected in 1896 and in 1898, although his politics is not in accord with the majority of the voters of that ward, but he is a good official, a good business man and a respected citizen.

MULLER, Henry A., was born in Cassville, Wisconsin, August 3, 1865.  He was raised on a farm and attended the common schools during his youth.  When twenty years of age he came to Dakota and entered the Brookings Agricultural College, where he remained two years and then went to Scotland, in this state, and was a student in the academy at that place four terms.  The entered the university at Vermillion, and after having remained there a few terms came to Sioux Falls and commenced the study of law in D.E. Power’s office.  He was admitted to the bar November 16, 1892, and since then has been in the practice of his profession at Sioux Falls.  He is now associated with D.J. Conway in the practice of law under the firm name of Muller & Conway.  Mr. Muller is a studious, well-read lawyer and deservedly popular among his professional brethren, and is one of the young men of the Minnehaha county bar who is expected to attain a high standing in his profession.