BIOGRAPHIES OF SIOUX COUNTY
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EUGENE G. SANTEE

Eugene was born on 18 February 1906 to Louis and Cecelia (d. 23 February 1942) Santee. Known siblings are William (1916) and James G. (17 February 1918-20 January 1938).
Eugene enlisted on 1 August 1940 at Fort Lincoln. Although enlisting for the Philippine Department, Eugene was in Italy serving as a Private in Company F, 7th Infantry, 3rd Division, when he was killed by enemy action on 13 October 1943.
Burial, Links to Some Family

GEORGE W. SANTEE

George was born on 14 March but the year is different in the various records (ranging from 1890 to 1896) resulting in not being able to get more information on him such as his parents.
He was a Code Talker in World War I. From the Roster of the Men and Women Who Served in the Army or Naval Service: "SANTEE, GEORGE W. Army number 503,318; registrant, Sioux county; born, Standing Rock Reservation, N. Dak., March 14, 1896, of American parents; occupation, farmer; inducted at Fort Yates on March 13, 1918: sent to Fort Logan, Colo.; served in 21st Company, Coast Artillery Corps, Fort Strong, Mass., to May 12, 1918; Battery B, 71st Artillery, Coast Artillery Corps, to discharge. Grade: Private 1st Class, Jan. 1, 1919; overseas from July 31, 1918, to Feb, 22, 1919. Discharged at Camp Dodge, Iowa, on March 7, 1919, as a Private 1st Class."
George married Melda W. One Hawk (22 July 1900-15 February 1975, daughter of Phillip One Hawk) on 9 June 1919 in Fort Yates. There is at least one child, Etta Viola (1921).
George died on 17 July 1962 in Sioux County and is buried in Saint James Catholic Cemetery. Burial.

LAWRENCE SEE THE ELK

Lawrence was born on 7 August 1887 at Fort Yates. One source indicates only See The Elk for his father and Chase In The Woods as mother. Several census reports have him and his brother Giles living with their grandmother Anpetu Day, widow, born about 1844. Lawrence appears to have been married twice as follows: (1) Rosa Unknown, born about 1889. No known children. (2) Jennie (Irene) Crowman, born about 1897. A daughter Josephine died 8 May 1914 and a son John Joseph, born 7 September 1923, died 24 July 1964.
From the Roster of the Men and Women Who Served in the Army or Naval Service: "SEE THE ELK, LAURENCE. Army number 2,787,162; registrant, Sioux county; born, Fort Yates, D. T., Aug. 10, 1886, of American parents; occupation, farmer; inducted at Fort Yates on May 25, 1918; sent to Camp Lewis, Wash.; served in Company C, 348th Machine Gun Battalion. to discharge; overseas from July 6, 1918, to April 2, 1919. Engagements: Offensives: Meuse-Argonne; Ypres-Lys. Defensive Sector: Aubreville (Lorraine). Discharged at Camp Dodge, Iowa, on April 22, 1919, as a Private. Died at Fort Yates, N. Dak., on July 15, 1928. Buried in the Catholic Cemetery, Fort Yates, with military honors." In 2008 the government recognized the service of the World War Code Talkers of which Lawrence was one of them.
Lawrence died in Sioux County, North Dakota and is buried at Saint Peters Catholic Church Cemetery.

JOHN CRAIG SHIELDS

John was born in Allerton, Wayne County, Iowa on 6 October 1978 to Samuel Frampton and Emma Bowser Shields.
John served in the Spanish-American War in Company H of the 51st Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment.
John and Othelia B. White were married on 29 June 1918 in Corson, Minnehaha County, South Dakota. Two children were from that marriage; John Frampton born 7 July 1921 in South Dakota and Doris F. born 1926 in South Dakota.
John died in Fort Yates on 4 June 1934 and Othelia died on 15 July 1970 in Washington.

John's Burial, Tombstone Photo, Obituary, Links to Some Family Members
Othelia's Burial, Tombstone Photo, Links to Some Family Members


HARRIET SKYE
Remembering Harriett Skye
Burial


GEORGE SLEEPS FROM HOME

George was born on 23 September 1892 on the Standing Rock Reservation in Kenel, Corson County, South Dakota the son of Oliver (Manilrpaya) (born about 1858) and Atansa Quiet (born about 1866) Sleeps From Home. Oliver later is married to Mary or Maura (Ptesanlutawin) (previously married to Unknown Graybear). George had at least two brothers, Garry (1882) and Joseph (Grey Horse) (1896).
George was married to Julia (Yellow Fat) (1902). They had at least these children: Daniel (1923), William (1925), Mary Lorene (1926), Margaret M. (1929), Wallace/Wallis (1932), and Virginia Maxine (1934) (marries Albert J. White Bull).
From the Roster of the Men and Women Who Served in the Army or Naval Service: "SLEEPS FROM HOME, GEORGE. Army number 3,954,592; registrant, Corson county, S. Dak.; born, Kenel, S. Dak., Sept. 23, 1893, of American parents; occupation, rancher; inducted at Mclntosh, S. Dak., July 21, 1918; sent to Camp Dodge, lowa; served in 41st Company, 163rd Depot Brigade to Aug. 14, 1918; Company D, Development Battalion No. 1, to Sept. 13, 1918; Casual in Hospital, to discharge. Discharged at Fort Des Moines, Iowa on Dec. 23, 1918, as a Private, Surgeon's Certificate of Disability, 50%." In 2008 the government recognized the service of the World War Code Talkers of which George was one of them.
George died on 30 December 1951. In January, Julia requested a headstone and indicated she was living at Fort Yates. The Application for Headstone or Marker indicates burial at St. Benedict's initially in Cannon Ball, North Dakota, crossed out, then Kenel, South Dakota. This writer could not find the cemetery or any other place of burial.


A photo on the internet contributed to Joann Standing Bear, of Cannon Ball, North Dakota, daughter of Joe Jordan.
Native American men from the Standing Rock Indian Reservation who served in World War I.
Back row, right to left, Martin Yellow Fat, George Sleeps from Home (Code Talker), George Defender, James Yellow Fat, Alfonse Thief, Abel White and Joe Jordan.
Front row, right to left, Bill Marshall, Louis Crow Skin (Code Talker), Joe Brush Horn, Jacob White Bull and Bill Molally.


Maxine Virginia White Bull's Obituary - George and Julia's Daughter

Brenda White Bull's Biography - George and Julia's Granddaughter


BIRGER L. SMESTAD

Birger was born 6 February 1881 in Ringsaker, Innlandet County, Norway. He used Bernard as a first name at times. He immigrated to America arriving in New York, New York on 15 June 1903 and then moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota where he was a clerk in Holtzermann's Chicago Store Company.
On 25 October 1907 in Williston, Williams County, North Dakota, he married Anna Andresen who was born in Norway on 27 December 1880 and immigrated to America in 1907. They had four known children; Lloyd (1911-1984), Irene (1914), Barney (1914), and Clifford (1915).
In 1910, Birger and Anna are living in Bear Creek, Clearwater County, Minnesota where Birger was an owner retail merchant of a general store.
By December of 1913, the family was relocated to Selfridge where on 6 February 1915 Birger was named the Selfridge Postmaster where Birger was the owner of The Pioneer Store.
Sometime after 1940 and before 1953 Birger and Anna moved to Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California where three of their children were located and where Birger died in 1953 and Anna died in 1957. Lloyd and his wife Margaret, remained in Selfridge.
Birger's Burial, Tombstone Photo
Anna's Burial, Tombstone Photo
Lloyd's Burial, Tombstone Photo, Links to Some Family
Irene's Burial
Barney's Burial
Clifford's Burial


GUY ARCHIE SNELL

Guy was born in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin on 18 May 1876 [his tombstone has his birth year as 1878] to Xenophon and Katherine Corey Snell. His known siblings were a sister Bessie (1872; married H. A. Ransom), brother Miles (1863), and a step-sister Grace.
From Wisconsin, Guy relocated to South Dakota and then was designated the Telegraph Agent for the Northern Pacific Railroad in 1916 in Cannon Ball. After his marriage he was a store owner in Cannon Ball and the designated Cannon Ball Postmaster in September of 1919.
Guy married Florence Gertrude Brewster who was born on 12 December 1898 in North Dakota. They were married on 20 September 1918 in Bismarck, Burleigh County, and had three children with two surviving; Ruth Eleanor (1919-1989) and Roy Grant (1921-2015).
Guy died in Cannon Ball on 15 February 1927 and was buried in Mandan Union Cemetery in Mandan, Morton County.
Guy's Burial, Tombstone Photo
Roy's Burial, Tombstone Photo


LOUIS SNIDER

Louis was born Ludwig Schneider to Tiburtius (14 Mar 1877-13 Sep 1941) and Rosalia (29 Nov 1875-24 Aug 1948) Schneider in Hague, Emmons County, North Dakota. A large family of Russian descent. His parents died in Sioux County and are buried in St. Peters Catholic Cemetery.
In 1925 at Fort Yates, Louis married Rosalia Thomas. She was the daughter of Jacob and Magdalene Thomas and was born on 16 August 1904 in St. Anthony, Morton County, North Dakota. There were ten known children from that marriage: Michael, Jack (1929), Joseph, William, Leo (1933), Kenneth, Rose (1940), Peter, Linda, and Dorothy.
In 1930 the family was living in Township 130, Range 80 where Louis was a blacksmith. In 1940 they were living in Fort Yates and Louis was a fireman at a stationary boiler. In 1942 Louis was elected as the County Sheriff, a job he held until 1966. Using his background skills as a blacksmith, Louis was also known state-side as a creator of Russian graveyard crosses with some of his creations now with the North Dakota State Historical Society.
Rose died on 14 August 1968 (Obituary) in Bismarck.
In October 1974 Louis married Anna Miller (Richter), the widow of Max P. Miller, born 21 March 1904 in Emmons County. Anna died in 1981.
Louis died on 6 January 1987 (Obituary) in Bismarck.
Louis' Burial, Tombstone Photo, Links to Some Family
Rose's Burial, Tombstone Photo, Links to Some Family


LUKE J. SPEAKS WALKING

Luke (Iyamani) was born at Fort Yates on 20 March 1900 to Louis (1866) and Julia (1871-15 April 1926). His siblings included; Louise (1901), Richard (1903), and Leo (1909).
He was a Code Talker in World War I. From the Roster of the Men and Women Who Served in the Army or Naval Service: "WALKING, LUKE SPEAKS. Army number 465,354; not a registrant, under age; born Fort Yates, N. Dak. March 20, 1900; occupation, student; enlisted at Flandreau, S. Dak. April 13, 1918; sent to Jefferson Barracks, Mo.; served in 31st New York Coast Artillery Corps, Fort Wadsworth, N.Y. to June 17, 1918; Battery B, 74th Artillery, Coast Artillery Corps to discharge. Grade: Private 1st Class June 4, 1918; overseas from Sept. 23, 1918 to Dec. 22, 1918. Discharged at Camp Dodge, Iowa on Jan. 9, 1919, as a Private 1st Class."
Luke was married twice: Lucy (Tiger) (1899-20 May 1926) and Josephine Debrockbraine Maiden Name unknown (31 May 1900). Luke and Julia's children included Luke, Jr. (4 June 1920-24 March 1921), Julia (16 November 1923), Charlotte (1924) (married unknown Havranek), and Oscar (1928).
He died on 23 November 1962. There is a FindAGrave Memorial for Luke created which indicates he was buried at the Old and New Reed Cemetery in Sioux County. This writer is unsure of that; (1) the documentation of the Reed Cemeteries is fairly extensive. The Cemeteries of Sioux County North Dakota publication does not list Luke, but does list his son Luke, Jr. In the FindAGrave entry and the CSCND there is no indication of a tombstone, (2) the Headstone Applications for Veterans (1925-1963) shows an application form that a Veteran's Headstone was shipped to his daughter Charlotte Havranek at Mobridge, South Dakota for burial at the St. Mary's Catholic Church Cemetery, Bullhead, South Dakota. Services were conducted by the Larson Funeral Home of Mobridge. This writer could find no record for this cemetery.

CORA SPOTTED BEAR

From Sioux County Pioneer - 17 December 1915:
"Mrs. Wm. Smite, aged 24 years, died last Saturday [11 December 1915] at her home in Porcupine district from tubercolosis. Interment will be made next Sunday in the Catholic cemetery at Cannonball. Deceased leaves, besides a husband, two children, one three years old, and one 11 months. She was one of the best known younger Indian women of the district and leaves many relatives and friends to mourn her untimely demise."
Cora was married to agency employee William Smite (Indian name - Sinte), born about 1874. They had for children; Lucy born 1905, Raymond born 1 June 1912, and James born 1914. About 1917, William remarries Jessie Unknown.

JOHN ARTHUR STILES

John was a landowner and proprietor in Sioux County. A biography is located here.
John Stiles information was provided by Mary E. Corcoran.