This biography appears on pages 1399-1400 in "History of South Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904).
CLARENCE A. BARTLETT, editor and publisher of the daily and weekly Capital Journal, at Pierre, was born in West Vienna, Oneida county, New
York, on the 29th of June, 1859 and is a son of Aldis and Mary (Chisholm) Bartlett, the former of whom was born in Vermont, of English
descent, while the latter is of Scotch ancestry and was born in the state of New York, where their marriage was solemnized. The Bartletts
were numbered among the early Puritan settlers of the New England colonies and the great-grandfather of the subject of this review was a
soldier in the Continental line during the war of the Revolution and was
a brother of Josiah Bartlett, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. The Chisholm family was established in America in the
early part of the nineteenth century, the founders of the same in the new world having come hither from Scotland. In 1865 Aldis Bartlett
removed with his family to Minnesota and located in Fillmore county, where he and his wife still maintain their home, being numbered among
the honored pioneers of that section.
The subject of this sketch received his early educational training
in the public schools of Fillmore county, having completed a course in the grammar school at Preston, and having thereafter been a student in
Curtis College, in the city of .Minneapolis. In 1880, when twenty-one years of age, he came to what is now the state of South Dakota and
became ticket agent and cashier for the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad
at Pierre, while in the same year, as deputy county treasurer, he opened
the first set of books for Hughes county. In 1886 he was transferred to the city of Deadwood as agent for the Fremont & Elkhorn Railroad and the
Northwestern Express, Stage & Transportation Company, remaining a resident of that city until 1890, and having in the meanwhile
accumulated a nice sum through judicious speculations in mining properties. In the year last mentioned he returned to Pierre, and here
made notable investments, having erected two substantial business blocks
and also other buildings and thus identifying himself permanently with the capital city. In 1900 he effected the purchase of the Capital
Journal, which was established in 1881, being the oldest paper in this section of the state, as previously noted, and of this he has ever since
continued as owner, publisher and editor, both the daily and weekly editions being models in their line and exerting
much influence in local and state affairs of a public nature. In politics Mr. Bartlett has
ever been a radical adherent of the Republican party, in whose cause he has rendered most effective service in a personal way and through the
medium of his paper. In January, 1893, he was appointed deputy county treasurer, in which capacity he continued to serve for eight consecutive
years while in November, 1900, he was elected treasurer, being chosen as
his own successor in the election of November, 1902, so that at the time
of this writing he has been consecutively identified with the administration of the fiscal affairs of the county for the long period
of twelve years. Fraternally he is a member in good standing of the local organizations of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons and the
Ancient Order of United Workmen.
On the 15th of September, 1894, Mr. Bartlett was united in
marriage with Miss Elsie M. Gleason, who was born in the city of Chicago,
IIlinois, on the 2d of December, 1871, being a daughter of Alonzo and Sarah Gleason. Mr. and Mrs. Bartlett have six children,
namely: Aldis, Eveline, Elsie, Elwin, Cora and Ella. |
