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E. E. Gaylord
Edwin Ellis Gaylord  (June 17, 1852-July 3, 1939 ) was an American inventor, businessman, optometrist, engineer, entrepreneur, territorial delegate, photographer, shipbuilder, author and pioneer of Brookings, Dakota Territory (Brookings, South Dakota).

Biography

Gaylord was born in Ogle, Illinois to Nelson Beeman Gaylord and Hannah E. Lewis.

Early Life

In 1855, Edwin Ellis (E.E) at the age of 3 moved with his family to Belvidere, Goodhue County, Minnesota Territory from Ogle, Ilinois. His father, Nelson was a founder of Belvidere, Goodhue County, Minnesota Territory. His father, Nelson Gaylord a farmer established the Belvidere post office and grist mill.When E. E. was 13, his father Nelson enlisted with the Union Army on February 6, 1865. With the rank of Private, Nelson, served in the 1st Minnesota Heavy Artillery Regiment. The Regiment was assigned to garrison duty at Chattanooga, Tennessee defending the city in anticipation of Confederate General John Hood leading troops to retake Chattanooga. On September 27, 1865 the Regiment, also known as the "Heavies" were mustered out of service. Nelson returned home to his family in Belvidere, Minnesota. E. E. was the oldest of five siblings (Polly, Hattie, Ada J., Lot Eli, George Orchard, Osmer Samuel and Lorie E. Gaylord).

Personal Life

E. E. Gaylord attended Hamiline University at Red Wing Minnesota. During his early adult life, E.E. worked as a farm laborer an assisted his father in running the family grist mill. In 1873, E. E. relocated to Massachusetts to help operate a mill. Within the year, he returned to Belvidere, Goodhue County, Minnesota and married Elizabeth Ann Arden on July 8, 1874.

During the early years of his marriage, E. E. was active in the Belvidere Grange No. 64 (farmers organization). On July 12, 1875, his wife Elizabeth, gave birth to their first daughter Sabra A. Gaylord, another daughter in 1876, followed by son Osmer Nelson Gaylord November 1878. [8]

On September 30, 1879 a letter was sent by railroad land commissioner Charles E. Simmons, instructing the Chicago NorthWestern System rail line to go from Aurora, Dakota Territory to Brookings and then Volga.[9] Within a week, Brookings, Dakota Territory was platted out by Western Town Lot Company on October 3 & 4, 1879.[10]  Two weeks later, on October 18, 1879 the rail tracks reached Brookings and in November the railroad station opened with the first load of lumber arriving on November 17, 1879.[11]

E. E., his wife Elizabeth, daughter Sabra and son Osmer arrived in Brookings during the Spring of 1880 along with Elizabeth's younger brothers William and James Arden. [12]  E. E. purchased two lots on Main Street (Section 2, Lot 6 & 7 of Original Town). The two lots are present-day 310 and 312 Main Ave.

On these two lots, he constructed a single wood frame, two story building in 1880 in which he operated a furniture, stationery, wallpaper and household general store. The structure would was known in Brookings as the "Gaylord Block". E. E. also served as the undertaker during the first years of the community in addition to acting as a photographer for the Brookings County Press and Sioux Valley Journal. He later served the community as a juror, marshall, territorial delegate, community organizer, businessman, owner of the city power and water plant and overall community visionary[1][13]

In April 1881, the town of Brookings was incorporated. In Brookings' first year, the population grew to 290 residents and four years later there were nearly 800 residents. Soon after E. E.'s arrival in the newly established community of Brookings he made an effort to help identify and fulfill the immediate needs of the new town.

E. E. was active in numerous areas of the community including entertainment. In April 1882, he was scheduled to appear in the "Our Boys'" performance at the Olds & Fishback Hall as the character Kempster.[14] Before the performance could be held, his wife Elizabeth Ann Arden died from measles on April 17, 1882.[15] The performance was cancelled and E. E. was now a single parent at the age of 28 to his two young children.

Edwin Ellis continued with his business and community pursuits following the death of his wife Elizabeth.

The Brookings County Sentinel on June 29, 1882 described Gaylord Block, its function and the people employed as follows: "Gaylord now has the largest and best arranged furniture store on this line of the road, and to match this he carries by fart the largest stock of furniture; books and stationary we know of in the territory. The south half of the lower floor is used for a show and sales room; the north half of the lower floor contains a portion of his large stock of furniture while upstairs he has his finishing room and unfinished stock. Three and four men are employed finishing and arranging goods, and Gaylord, the genial merchant and mechanic, is as busy as a bee from morn till night, looking after the different departments. As Mr. Gaylord superintends his work all customers may be sure of getting just what they pay for every time."[16]

By 1882, Gaylord Bock became the physical location for discussions and plans for the blossoming Town of Brookings. Brookings was without a designated town hall during the early years. Gaylord Block served as the Mayor's office in 1882, for Mayor Aiken.[17] The two story wooden structure would serve as Gaylord's place of business and upstairs residence in addition to a community gathering site.

In November 1882 E. E. held a meeting of community leaders, business owners and interested individuals to discuss fire safety. This meeting resulted in the establishment of the Town's first volunteer fire company to which he served as a member.[18] The fire department remains a volunteer first response team today.

On February 28, 1883 at the age of 30, E. E. Gaylord married his second wife, Brookings resident Lucinda Anne Fetterly (age 16) in Verdi, Minnesota.[19] On December 28, 1884 Lucinda gave birth to son Jay Arthur Gaylord in Brookings.[20]

February 1884, Brookings officially became an incorporated city.[21] By 1888, E. E. increased his community engagment to include serving as drum major in the Cornet Band, appointment as juryman for the 1888 Brookings court term.[22][23] He also became involved in developing the electrical infrastructure of Brookings and other communities around South Dakota and Minnesota.[24] Ever a busy businessman, he continued to run his stationary store while renting out part of Gaylord Block to various tenants. During the summer of 1888, E. E. relaxed on the shallow waters of Lake Campbell with his self-built steam boat named "Storm King".[25] 1889 E. E. was appointed by the Common Council to serve as Warden for the City and on April 26, 1889 he was appointed City Marshall.[26][27]

During times when E. E. wasn't working on his various businesses, city electrification or water projects  he was active in Grand Army of the Republic activities. In June 1889, he attended the G. A. R. Encampment at Egan, SD and a militia encampment in Watertown.[28] On November  2, 1889, South Dakota became a state.

By the spring of 1889, his second wife Lucinda Anne left Brookings with their son Jay Arthur to be with her family in Tacoma, WA.[29] She returned in December 1889 only to leave the following September 1890 with son Jay for Tacoma Washington.[30] Lucinda eventually divorced E. E. and in October 1891 married Alexander Allen in Tacoma, WA.[31]

The Gaylord Block building was spared by a fire December 21, 1892 when at 1:30 am a restaurant north of the Gaylord building was consumed by flames. In an effort to extinguish the fire and prevent further spread, the volunteer fire department chose to intentionally blow up the building directly to the north of the Gaylord building. These efforts saved the Gaylord building occupied by C. H. Collins, clothier and A. Glidden, Confectioner, on the first floor and Collins' tailor shop and E. E.'s residence on the second floor.[32]

On September 6, 1893 E. E. married Lillian Damaris Rooker in Brookings, SD.[33] On October 20, 1894 Lillian and E. E. welcomed son Clair Edwin Gaylord.[34] Together E. E., Lillian, and Clair along with two boarders reside in the upstairs of Gaylord Block. Lillian was an acomplished musician, graduate of Oberlin College, OH and who offered music classes and public recitals.[35] Public disagreements between E. E. and Lillian culminated in an article appearing in the Brookings Register denouncing Lillian's shopping habits and requesting businessmen not extend lines of credit to her.[36]

Fire approached the wooden Gaylord Block building again on February 1905 resulting in significant damage while being used by B. L. Buckingham for the purpose of a restaurant "Buckingham". During the fire, E. E., wife Lillian and son Clair escaped injury while asleep upstairs. [37] At the time of the fire, structures on Main Street were numbered differently than Main Ave today. The Gaylord Block in 1905 was #342 Main Street, today this property is known as 310 & 312 Main Avenue.

By 1916, Edwin Ellis Gaylord was living in Tacoma, WA with his daughter Sabra.[37] E. E. would not return to Brookings to live again. Sabra passed away from breast cancer on March 24, 1916 in Tacoma, WA.[38] After a lengthy illness his third wife, Lillian died on February 15, 1917 in Brookings, SD. [39] Its unclear if E. E. and Lillian formally divorced.

At the age of 72, in 1925 E. E. lived at the Brenden Hotel in Tacoma, WA and worked for Good Will Industries and a card writer.[40]] By the age of 75, he resided at the Ozanam Home for the Aged in Tacoma WA.[41] Edwin Ellis Gaylord died on July 3, 1939 and the age of 87 of bleeding and heart issues. He was buried at Carbanado Cemetery, Tacoma, WA.[42]

The wooden two story structure covering Lots 6 & 7 known as Gaylord Block was torn down around 1934. Opening in 1936 was a single modern brick single-story building covering 310 and 312 Main Avenue. Red Owl Grocery occupied 310 and A&P Grocery occupied 312 Main Avenue with 312 1/2 (lower level) occupied by Sioux Alley's. Today The Carrot Seed Kitchen Co. owned by Kirsten Gjesdal occupies 310 with Farmhouse Fancy & The Ugly Ducking and Outlaw Graphics occupying 312 Main Avenue.

{{TOC left]]Contents

1. Early Life

2. Personal Life

3. Contributions

3.1 Electric Light Company

3.2 Waterworks

3.3 Politics

3.4 Optician

3.5 Shipbuilding

4. Later life

5. References

6. External Links

Born

June 17, 1852

Ogle, Illinois

Died

July 3, 1939

(aged 87)

Tacoma, Washington

Spouse(s)

Elizabeth Ann Arden (m.1874, death 1882)

Anne Lucinda Fetterly (m. 1883, div.)

Lillian Damaris Rooker Lewis (m. 1893, div.)

Children

Sabra Ann Gaylord (1875-1916)

infant Gaylord (1876-1876)

Osmer Nelson Gaylord (1878-1944)

Jay Arthur Gaylord (1884-1954)

Clair Edwin Gaylord (1894-1960)

Parents

Nelson Beeman Gaylord (1823-1903)

Hannah Elizabeth Lewis (1831-1893)

Siblings

Polly Gaylord (1854-1854)

Hattie "Etta" Gaylord (1856-1858)

Ada Jane Gaylord (1859-1939)

Lot Eli Gaylord (1862-1942)

George Orchard Gaylord (1864-1942)

Osmer Samuel Gaylord (1867-1951)

Lorie Elsa Gaylord (1869-1897)

Education

Hamline, Red Wing, Minnesota Territory (1854-1869)

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