TALCOTT, Ransom William, was one of the early settlers of Minnehaha county, coming from Ohio to Sioux Falls, November 10, 1871, accompanied by his wife and twin girls two years of age.  He resided in the barracks for awhile, and then made a homestead filing upon the north half of the south half of section 6 in Sioux Falls township.  In 1878, he sold out and removed to Lake county, S.D.

TATE, Samuel Livingston, was born in Leed, County of Yorkshire, England, January 14, 1839; emigrated with his parents to the United States in 1842, and settled first in Massachusetts, but removed to Perry, Ill., in 1853, and from there to Lee county in the same state, in 1857.  During the civil war he enlisted in the 132d Illinois Infantry.  He was graduated from Albion College at Albion, Mich., and in June, 1869, received the degrees of B.A. and B.L.  Soon after he got married, and commenced the practice of law at Evansville, Wis., but remained there only three months and then removed to Grand Haven, Mich., where he remained until 1884.  While residing at Grand Haven he was court commissioner and injunction master two years, judge of probate twelve years, and either alderman or mayor nearly all the time of his residence there, as well as being the president of the board of education several years.  In the fall of 1884, came to Sioux Falls and opened a real estate office.  September 1, 1886, formed a copartnership with R.F. Pettigrew in the real estate business, and for several years the firm did a large business.  Mr. Tate is now (1899) about to engage in the same business again.  He is a thoroughly honest, upright man, and has well earned the high esteem in which he is held by all who know him.

TAYLOR, Fred W., was born at Ormo, Wis., February 22, 1856; was educated in the public schools and in the preparatory department of the Northwestern University at Evanston, Ill., and graduated from a commercial college in Chicago.  When seventeen years of age he went into his father’s store as a clerk two years, and was in the employment of Field, Leiter & Co. in Chicago two years, and with Ware & Co. a little over a year as bookkeeper and cashier.  Came to Sioux Falls February 28, 1880, and formed a copartnerhsip with Justin Graves, and the firm bought the hardware business of I.K. Buck.  At the end of one year he bought Mr. Graves’ interest and since 1881 has been engaged in the hardware business by himself.  In 1880-1, in connection with Charles K. Howard, he built the Howard-Taylor block; was alderman from the First ward two years; president of the Masonic Temple Association at the time the Masonic Temple was built; is a thirty-second degree Mason, and has been Eminent Commander of Cyrene Commandry No. 2, Knight Templars.  Mr. Taylor is a good business man, and an enterprising, popular citizen.

THOMPSON, Knut, is a native of Norway, and was born March 20, 1848.  He came with his parents to the United States in 1852, and settled on a farm in Dane county, Wisconsin, where he was reared and received his early education.  He afterwards attended a commercial college in Madison, Wisconsin, and then was employed as bookkeeper in an agricultural house for five years.  He came to Sioux Falls on the 1st day of April, 1875, and bought forty-four feet fronting on the east side of Phillips avenue, between Ninth and Tenth streets, and during the summer, erected a building and engaged in the machine business.  In 1883, he re-built, this time a brick building, known as the Thompson block. He also erected a fine residence on Tenth street, in which he still resides.  In 1891 he sold out his business, and since then has been employed in the county auditor’s office quite a portion of the time, and is now deputy auditor.  He is an honest, upright business man, is a good official and an esteemed citizen.

THOMPSON, Peter F., was born in Norway, October 27, 1846; attended the public schools and worked on a farm in his native country until 1865, when he emigrated to the United States and worked for a few months in the copper mines at Superior, Michigan.  He then went to Lansing, Iowa, and made this place his home for thirteen years, four years of which he was in a hotel.  In September, 1878, he came to Sioux Falls and opened a restaurant which he conducted for one year. He then went into the grocery business on Tenth street, and has continued in this business since then at the same place.  He is a good business man, and has been successful.  Is a quiet, conservative man, is well liked as a neighbor, and is an esteemed citizen.

THORGRIMSON, Rev. Hans B., is a native of Iceland, and was born August 21, 1853.  His father was a merchant, and when the subject of this sketch was eleven years of age he was sent to Copenhagen, Denmark, to attend a Latin school.  He remained there three years, and then returned home and became clerk in his father’s store for two years, and attended a college in Iceland one year.  In 1872, he came to this country and worked on a farm in Wisconsin two years; entered college at Decorah, Iowa, where he was graduated in 1879; attended the Lutheran Theological seminary at Madison, Wisconsin, two years, and the Concordia Theological seminary at St. Louis, Missouri, where he was graduated in 1882.  The same year he became pastor of the Icelandic Lutheran congregation at Pembina, North Dakota, and remained there until he removed to Sioux Falls, where he arrived on the 15th day of May, 1886, and became pastor of the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran church, and also had charge of the Lutheran congregation at Springdale and Brandon for six years, when he resigned.  He was largely instrumental in securing for Sioux Falls the Lutheran Normal school, and the city is greatly indebted to him for his labor in this enterprise.  Since his resignation as pastor he was engaged in traveling in the interest of the Normal school and other similar institutions until July, 1898, when he received a call from the Norwegian Synod to take charge as missionary of a Lutheran congregation at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which he accepted, and is now located there.  Mr. Thorgrimson is a man of more than ordinary ability, an entertaining speaker, and noted for his energy and active support of public enterprises.  In July, 1884, he married Miss Mathilda Stub, of Locust, Iowa, an accomplished and lovable lady, and the removal from South Dakota of Mr. Thorgimson and family was sincerely regretted by a wide circle of friends.

TOMLINSON, Jr., Joseph, was born March 15, 1863, at Huntington, Connecticut.  Until twenty-one years of age his time was chiefly occupied in securing an education, and in 1884 was graduated from Yale college.  After graduating he became a tutor in New York City for two years, and then traveled with his pupil in this country and about the world until 1887, when he engaged in manufacturing at Hartford, Connecticut, for one year.  On the 3d day of August, 1888, he came to Sioux Falls, and on the 10th day of that month commenced work on the Argus-Leader as advertising solicitor.  On the 9th day of November, following, in connection with Charles M. Day, he bought the paper, and the next day the first issue of the Argus-Leader appeared under the new management.  Tomlinson and Day soon made the Argus-Leader the leading Democratic newspaper in South Dakota, and it so remained until the Democratic party in 1896 adopted the doctrine of the free coinage of silver, when the Argus-Leader promptly became a Republican newspaper.
     Mr. Tomlinson is a strong, vigorous writer, and one of the most aggressive editors in the state.  His editorials, especially upon political matters, are concise, clear, courageous and able.  He has a keen scent for the delinquencies of his political opponents, and when he makes a discovery of this character it is a red letter day for the Argus-Leader.  As a citizen he is upright and enterprising, and in local matters is particularly active in urging upon the municipal administration rigid economy and business-like methods.  Endowed with such positive qualities of character, with a newspaper of wide circulation at his command, it is not hazardous to predict that Mr. Tomlinson is destined to exert in the future a strong influence upon the institutions of the state of his adoption.

TUFTS, Dr. Arthur Henry, was born in Wadsboro, Vermont, January 14, 1856, but, when a mere child, removed with his father to Geneseo, Illinois.  He attended common and high schools, and was also a student at Grinnell College, Grinnell, Iowa, two years, after which time he taught school three years.  He studied medicine with C.A. Gray at Brattleboro, Vermont, taking his first course of lectures at Baltimore, Maryland, and was graduated from the New York City University in 1873.  He commenced the practice of medicine in  Sioux Falls the same year, in copartnership with the above mentioned Dr. Gray.  From 1884 until the fall of 1887 he practiced alone, but at the latter date he formed a partnership with Dr. S.A. Brown, under the firm name of Brown & Tufts, which still continues.
     Dr. Tufts has been the president, vice president and treasurer of the Minnehaha Medical Society, and in 1893 was vice president of the State Medical Society.  The firm of Brown & Tufts has a large practice, and Dr. Tufts contributes his share to its success.  The doctor is an energetic, reliable and conscientious practitioner, and is also an enterprising and highly respected citizen.

TUTHILL, John W., was born in the village of Greene, Chenango county, New York, July 6, 1846.  When five years of age he removed with his parents to Carbondale, Pennsylvania.  In 1862 he went to Chicago, and was employed in the bank of Coolbaugh & Brooks as messenger for three years.  In October, 1865, entered the employ of C.Lamb & Son, lumber dealers at Clinton, Iowa, and remained with them until July, 1869, when he concluded to go into business on his own account, and went to State Center, Iowa, and established a lumber yard.  In March, 1882, he came to Sioux Falls, and bought out Edwin Sharpe & Company’s lumber business, and the firm of Tuthill & King was established.  On the 3d day of February, 1884, Mr. King died, and S.G. Tuthill, a brother of John, was taken into the business under the firm name of Tuthill Brothers.  On the 18th day of August, 1885, the John W. Tuthill Lumber Company was incorporated, and since then its business has been constantly increasing.  The company is doing a large business in Sioux Falls, and also has yards at Windom, Worthington, Beaver Creek and Hills, Minnesota, and at Hartford, Montrose, Humbolt, Salem, Spencer and Farmer, in this state.  Mr. Tuthill, although emphatically a business man giving close attention to his large business, is an enterprising citizen, always ready to aid in any project calculated to advance the prosperity of the community in which he lives.

TUTHILL, S.G., was born in Chenango county, New York, October 14, 1848.  He removed with his parents to Carbondale, Pennsylvania, when three years old, and from there to Clinton, Iowa, 1856.  He received a common school and academic education.  In 1867 he went to Chicago and worked for a wholesale grocery house until 1883.  On the 10th day of March, of that year, he came to Sioux Falls, and was in the employ of Tuthill & King until the death of Mr. King on the 3d day of February, 1884, when he became a member of the firm of Tuthill Brothers, and continued in the lumber business with his brother John.  On the 18th day of August, 1885, the John W. Tuthill Lumber Company was incorporated, and the subject of this sketch was elected its secretary and treasurer, which office he held, and in connection with his brother John was in the active management of the business of the company until April, 1899, when he removed to Minneapolis, Minnesota.  He was one of the most active and enterprising citizens in Sioux Falls, and was deservedly popular with all classes of people.

TYLER, Levi S., was born at Greenfield, Massachusetts, June 7, 1848, and attended the public schools and graduated from the high school at that place.  Enlisted in the army in 1861, and again in 1862, but was rejected on account of physical disability.  He then commenced work in an express office, and for thirty-five years was engaged principally in the express business.  In 1881 went to Minnesota, and the spring following took up a quarter section of land in Hand county, South Dakota, but during the fall of 1882 returned to Minnesota and took up his residence at Tracy.  Was a member of the city council at that place, and in 1893 was a member of the Minnesota legislature from the counties of Lyon, Lincoln and Yellow Medicine.  On the 24th of May, 1894, became the agent of the American Express Co., at Sioux Falls, where he has since resided.  Was elected to the state senate from Minnehaha county in 1899, and is at the present time bookkeeper at the penitentiary at Sioux Falls.  Mr. Tyler is a man of good ability, a good public speaker, an upright official; and a respected citizen.