South Dakota Biography

Online Resources

 * SDGenWeb Biographies Includes biographies from History of South Dakota.
 * Biographical Index of South Dakotans.
 * Doane Robinson's encyclopedia of South Dakota, ($), index/images
 * History of South Dakota / by Doane Robinson, together with personal mention of citizens of South Dakota. v. 1, Vol. 2
 * Biographies from the Memorial and Biographical Record
 * Memorial and biographical record; ... including biographical sketches of...prominent old settlers and representative citizens of South Dakota....
 * History of Dakota Territory: South Dakota; its history and its people Vol.1, Vol. 2, Vol. 3, Vol. 4, Vol. 5
 * History of southeastern Dakota, ....biographical sketches of the pioneers and business men,...
 * Warner's history of Dakota County, Nebraska, from the days of the pioneers and first settlers to the present time, with biographical sketches, and anecdotes of ye olden times

Biographies provide useful genealogical information such as a person’s birth date and place; names of family members, including maiden names; education; occupation; and social, political, and religious affiliation. They may also contain a physical description of the person, previous residences, and immigration information. Biographies are the product of family knowledge or previous research about early settlers and prominent citizens of a state, county, or town. Local histories may contain biographical sketches of lesser-known people.

The best collection of published biographies in South Dakota is at the South Dakota Office of History in the Soldiers' and Sailors' Memorial Building, East Capitol Avenue, Pierre, South Dakota. Another biographical collection is found at the University of South Dakota at Vermillion.

There is no statewide biographical index or major manuscript collection. Many statewide, regional, and county histories have biographical sections which can be searched. Examples of such books are:


 * Memorial and Biographical Record: An Illustrated Compendium of Biography Containing a Compendium of Local Biography. Chicago, Illinois: G.A. Ogle Co., 1897. (Family History Library film.)
 * Fox's Who's Who Among South Dakotans: A Biographical Directory of Citizens Who Are Prominent in Professional, Political, Business and Civic Affairs of the State. Two Volumes. Pierre, South Dakota: Fox Kindley, 1929. (Family History Library film .)
 * Kingsbury, George Washington. History of Dakota Territory and South Dakota: Its History and Its People By George Martin Smith. Five Volumes. Chicago, Illinois: S.J. Clarke Co., 1915. (Family History Library .) Volumes 4 and 5 contain biographical sketches.
 * Holley, Frances Chamberlain. Once Their Home: or Our Legacy From the Dahkotahs. Chicago, Illinois: Donohue &amp; Henneberry, 1892. (Family History Library film .)

See United States Biographies for information on nationwide biographical collections. See United States History and United States Genealogies for additional sources.

To find biographies and published family histories on specific surnames in the FamilySearch Catalog, use a surname search''. ''

''Typing "South Dakota" in the Keyword Search will limit the search to families in South Dakota. ''

The Family History Library has many collected biographies and local or county histories with biographical sketches on residents. These can be found in the FamilySearch Catalog by using a Locality Search under any of the following:


 * SOUTH DAKOTA - BIOGRAPHY
 * SOUTH DAKOTA, [COUNTY]- BIOGRAPHY
 * SOUTH DAKOTA, [COUNTY]- HISTORY
 * SOUTH DAKOTA, [COUNTY], [TOWN]- HISTORY