Charles H. Sheldon
Encyclopedia
Charles Henry Sheldon (September 12, 1840 October 20, 1898) was the second Governor
of South Dakota
.
, the third of four children of Gresham and Mary (Brown) Sheldon. After the death of his father in 1844, Sheldon worked as a farm laborer from the ages of twelve to eighteen; and then, he worked at a store. He joined the abolitionist movement. On November 23, 1861, Sheldon joined Company E of the 7th Vermont Infantry
Regiment and then entered active service in 1862 as a sergeant at Rutland, Vermont. On July 13, 1865, he became a captain and was then mustered out at Brownsville
, Texas
. Sheldon's last year in the military was spent on the western frontier. After leaving the Army, Sheldon entered the mercantile business in Pope County, Illinois
.
After spending his last year in Illinois at Chicago
, Charles Sheldon moved to Groton
in Brown County, Dakota Territory
because of the health of his son, James. Doctors had told Sheldon that only a northern climate could help his son, who was suffering from malaria. Sheldon settled on government land and became a farmer.
Charles Sheldon entered politics in 1886, when he represented the twelfth legislative district in the Territorial Legislature. He represented Day
, Roberts
, Grant
, and Codington Counties
; and, this continued until 1887. In 1890, Sheldon was chairman of the Day County delegation at the state Republican convention in Mitchell, South Dakota
. At the state Republican convention in 1892, Sheldon was nominated for Governor. In the general election, he beat both A. L. Van Osdel (the Independent candidate) and Peter Couchman (the Democratic Candidate).
In 1897, Sheldon retired to his farm near Pierpont
. He went on a speaking tour for the Republicans during the 1898 election campaign but fell ill as a result of a cold. Sheldon gave his last speech at Deadwood
on October 15, 1898 and died of pneumonia five days later, with his wife and son at his bedside. He was buried at the Pierpont Cemetery.
Governor of South Dakota
The Governor of South Dakota is the head of the executive branch of the government of South Dakota. They are elected to a four year term on even years when there is no Presidential election. The current governor is Dennis Daugaard, a Republican elected in 2010....
of South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
.
Biography
Charles Henry Sheldon was born in Lamoille County, VermontVermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
, the third of four children of Gresham and Mary (Brown) Sheldon. After the death of his father in 1844, Sheldon worked as a farm laborer from the ages of twelve to eighteen; and then, he worked at a store. He joined the abolitionist movement. On November 23, 1861, Sheldon joined Company E of the 7th Vermont Infantry
7th Vermont Infantry
The 7th Regiment, Vermont Volunteer Infantry was a three years' infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It served in the Western Theater, predominantly in Louisiana and Florida, from February 1862 to March 1866...
Regiment and then entered active service in 1862 as a sergeant at Rutland, Vermont. On July 13, 1865, he became a captain and was then mustered out at Brownsville
Brownsville, Texas
Brownsville is a city in the southernmost tip of the state of Texas, in the United States. It is located on the northern bank of the Rio Grande, directly north and across the border from Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Brownsville is the 16th largest city in the state of Texas with a population of...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. Sheldon's last year in the military was spent on the western frontier. After leaving the Army, Sheldon entered the mercantile business in Pope County, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
.
After spending his last year in Illinois at Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Charles Sheldon moved to Groton
Groton, South Dakota
Groton is a city in Brown County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 1,458 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Groton is located at ....
in Brown County, Dakota Territory
Dakota Territory
The Territory of Dakota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1861, until November 2, 1889, when the final extent of the reduced territory was split and admitted to the Union as the states of North and South Dakota.The Dakota Territory consisted of...
because of the health of his son, James. Doctors had told Sheldon that only a northern climate could help his son, who was suffering from malaria. Sheldon settled on government land and became a farmer.
Charles Sheldon entered politics in 1886, when he represented the twelfth legislative district in the Territorial Legislature. He represented Day
Day County, South Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 6,267 people, 2,586 households, and 1,688 families residing in the county. The population density was 6 people per square mile . There were 3,618 housing units at an average density of 4 per square mile...
, Roberts
Roberts County, South Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 10,016 people, 3,683 households, and 2,618 families residing in the county. The population density was 9 people per square mile . There were 4,734 housing units at an average density of 4 per square mile...
, Grant
Grant County, South Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 7,847 people, 3,116 households, and 2,156 families residing in the county. The population density was 12 people per square mile . There were 3,456 housing units at an average density of 5 per square mile...
, and Codington Counties
Codington County, South Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 25,897 people, 10,357 households, and 6,877 families residing in the county. The population density was 38 people per square mile . There were 11,324 housing units at an average density of 16 per square mile...
; and, this continued until 1887. In 1890, Sheldon was chairman of the Day County delegation at the state Republican convention in Mitchell, South Dakota
Mitchell, South Dakota
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 14,558 people, 6,121 households, and 3,599 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,475.7 people per square mile . There were 6,555 housing units at an average density of 664.4 per square mile...
. At the state Republican convention in 1892, Sheldon was nominated for Governor. In the general election, he beat both A. L. Van Osdel (the Independent candidate) and Peter Couchman (the Democratic Candidate).
In 1897, Sheldon retired to his farm near Pierpont
Pierpont, South Dakota
Pierpont is a town in Day County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 135 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Pierpont is located at ....
. He went on a speaking tour for the Republicans during the 1898 election campaign but fell ill as a result of a cold. Sheldon gave his last speech at Deadwood
Deadwood, South Dakota
Deadwood is a city in South Dakota, United States, and the county seat of Lawrence County. It is named for the dead trees found in its gulch. The population was 1,270 according to a 2010 census...
on October 15, 1898 and died of pneumonia five days later, with his wife and son at his bedside. He was buried at the Pierpont Cemetery.