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The following is his obituary from the newspaper, The New Era, Parker, SD.
Charles M. Pier, who became a resident of Turner county in 1873, and was one of the most esteemed of pioneer citizens, reached the end of his life's journey on Sep. 26th. He had been ailing for a few days but was down town mingling with friends on Saturday evening. Sunday morning it was found that during the night hours, taps had peacefully sounded for his earthly service.
Mr. Pier was one of seven children born to William and Susan (Cook) Pier, the former a native of New...
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The following is his obituary from the newspaper, The New Era, Parker, SD.
Charles M. Pier, who became a resident of Turner county in 1873, and was one of the most esteemed of pioneer citizens, reached the end of his life's journey on Sep. 26th. He had been ailing for a few days but was down town mingling with friends on Saturday evening. Sunday morning it was found that during the night hours, taps had peacefully sounded for his earthly service.
Mr. Pier was one of seven children born to William and Susan (Cook) Pier, the former a native of New Jersey and his wife a native of Pennsylvania. From Wisconsin the parents moved to Ohio and it was here that Charles M. was born on July 1st, 1844. Childhood days were spent at Bristol, Lima and VanWert, Ohio.
In 1862 Mr. Pier enlisted in the 82 Battalion Ohio National, which did post duty until 1864 when the government consolidated it with the 139th regiment infantry. Mr. Pier was mustered in to U.S. service at Camp Cleveland, Ohio, in May of 1864. After a hundred days of service, he was mustered out and returned to VanWert and remained until 1867 when he went to Richland county, Wisconsin, where he carried mail, taught school and was clerk in a store.
While in Richland county he married Samantha James of Bloom City, Wis., on April 6, 1872. The wife was a native of Ohio and daughter of Peter James.
The spring of 1872 saw Mr. Pier and his wife driving through by team to Dakota Territory. They landed in Sioux Falls about May 1st and soon after went to Swan Lake and filed on a claim in Hurley township. A sod house was erected here and in the fall of 1873, the pioneers returned to Wisconsin for the winter. In 1874 Mr. Pier and his wife and son returned to Dakota Territory. Grasshoppers took crops during the year and Mr. Pier turned from farming to assisting with the work of the clerk of courts and register of deeds.
In 1878 he was elected register of deeds, and Swan Lake, then being the county seat, he moved to that town.
In 1885 he located in Hurley and engaged in general merchandise business until 1892, also conducting his farm in Hurley township.
After 1907, Mr. Pier retired and lived at his place in southwest Parker until the death of his wife on July 30, 1925. After that time his home has been with his daughters at Mitchell and Sioux Falls. While at Mitchell he was commander of the G.A.R. post.
Early last summer he came to Parker to reside, brought back by old friendships and former home ties.
Surviving Mr. Pier are his six children. They are Harry J., Sioux Falls; Thomas C., Kingsburg; Mrs. C. W. Thompson (Pearl), Sioux Falls; Mrs. W. H. King (Lela), Washington, D.C.; Leonard, Belvidere and Will L. of Omaha.
The following is from "Memorial and Biographical Record of Turner, Lincoln, Union and Clay Counties, published in 1897.
C. M. Pier, Turner County's present register of deeds, has been a resident of Dakota since 1873, when he took up a claim in what is now Hurley Township. This land he improved and resided on until 1878, when he was elected register of deeds, and Swan Lake, then being the county seat, he moved to that town. He enjoyed re-election twice and served at that time consecutive terms. In 1885 he located in Hurley and engaged in the general merchandise business until 1892, also conducting his farm of 160 acres in Hurley Township. In 1894 he was again elected register of deeds on the Republican ticket and re-elected to this position in 1896.
Mr. Pier was born in Stark County, Ohio, Jul. 1, 1844, his father, William Pier, being a native of New Jersey and now living in Wisconsin, aged 82 years. His mother, Susan (Cook) Pier, was born in Pennsylvania and died when but 48 years old. She was of Pennsylvania-Dutch descent. They were the parents of seven children, six sons and one daughter, all of whom are still spared to this world with the exception of one son. They are; William H., Charles M., Eleanor, now the wife of J. S. Lehew, of McCook, NB; Frank, deceased; John F., Alonso and James R.
Charles M. was the second child and about 8 years old when he moved with his parents to Allen County, Ohio; there he obtained a common school education and remained until his father and mother moved to Van Wert, Ohio, to which place he accompanied his parents and resided till 1864.
That year Mr. Pier enlisted for 100 days service in company H, 139th Ohio regiment, and infantry. At the end of his allotted time he returned to Van Wert, remained till 1867 and then started for Wisconsin. He located in Richland County, where he was employed in the register's office and also in a store until 1873, and the date of his arrival in Dakota as stated above.
Mr. Pier was united in marriage Apr. 6, 1872, to Samantha James, a native of eastern Ohio, and a daughter of Peter James. Charles and Samantha are the parents of six children, four sons and two daughters; Harry J., Thomas C., Dora P., Lelia B., Leonard A. and William C., all at home.
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