Philip A. Gross Biography

This biography appears on pages 1386-1387 in "History of South Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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PHILIP A. GROSS, of Webster, Day County, is a native of Sweden, where he was born on the 23d of May, 1865, being a son of Benjamin and Johanna Gross, of whose four children he was the second in order of birth. The subject was reared in his fatherland and there received his educational training in the well-equipped national schools. At the age of sixteen years he immigrated to America and located in Hutchinson, Minnesota, where he was employed until the spring of 1884, when he went to Illinois, where he passed the summer. He then returned to Minnesota and there remained until the autumn of 1885, when he came to Day County, South Dakota. In the following year he purchased relinquishment claims and turned his attention to farming, developing and improving his property and continuing to be successfully identified with agricultural pursuits until the autumn of 1892, when he rented his ranch and took up his residence in the town of Webster. Here he found employment in connection with the management of the lumbering business conducted by H. O. Frank, with whom he remained in this capacity for two years, after which he was for six years employed by Mr. Frank in the buying and shipping of grain. He then entered into the employ of the Miller Elevator Company, and they have since conducted a most prosperous business, the concern having a well-equipped elevator and controlling a large and important business. Mr. Gross is a man of indefatigable industry and it may be noted in this connection that during his eleven years' residence in Webster he has never lost a day's pay, having always been found at his assigned post. He is the owner of a valuable farm of three hundred and twenty acres, one mile distant from Webster, and is also the owner of village property, having four dwellings in Webster and renting three of the same, as does he also his farm.

In his political proclivities Mr. Gross is a staunch adherent of the Republican party, and takes a deep interest in public affairs of a local nature. He is a member of the city council of Webster, and in 1904 was made the nominee of his party for the office of sheriff of the county. Fraternally he is identified with the lodge and encampment of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and also with the Ancient Order of United Workmen and the Modern Woodmen of America.

On the 7th of June 1890, Mr. Gross was united in marriage to Miss Emma Olsen, who was born in Sweden, and they have five children, Vina, Cora, Mabel, Herman and Dewey.