Richard H. Booth Biography

	This biography appears on pages 457, 461 in "History of Minnehaha 
	County, South Dakota" by Dana R. Bailey and was scanned, OCRed 
	and edited by Joy Fisher, http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00001.html#0000031
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BOOTH, RICHARD H., was born at Poughkeepsie, New York, September 20, 
1826. His father was the proprietor of a cloth factory and had the 
latest and most approved machinery known at that date. At the age of 
seventeen the subject of this sketch was apprenticed to learn the 
carpenter's trade, and when he attained his majority commenced business 
for himself as contractor and builder.  In 1847 he removed to New York 
City.  On December 17, 1848, he was married to Miss Sarah C. Boulette, 
and celebrated his golden wedding in Sioux Falls December 17, 1898.  He 
spent the summer of 1852 in Minnesota.  In 1855 he moved from New York 
to Milwaukee, Wis., where he remained eight months, and then removed to 
St. Paul, Minn.  In April, 1861, he took up a farm in Goodhue county, 
Minn. where he engaged in farming and worked at his trade until 1870 
when he removed to this county, arriving in Sioux Falls the 11th day of 
July of that year.  He took up as a homestead the northwest quarter of 
section twenty-four, in Sioux Falls township, but has always been a 
resident of the city, and engaged as a contractor and builder.  He 
built the first church in the county - the Episcopal church at Sioux 
Falls.  He built the Cataract hotel, the VanEps block, the Deaf Mute 
school buildings, and other public buildings, besides some of the 
finest residences in the city.  He was one of the directors of the 
South Dakota penitentiary at the time it was built, holding that 
position four years, and has been building inspector of the city of 
Sioux Falls several years.  Mr. Booth during his long residence in the 
city has been a very active man, and while not aspiring for political 
positions has nevertheless been an influential and respected citizen.