Melvin Grigsby
Melvin Grigsby | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Potosi, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Died | February 15, 1917 (aged 71) |
| Occupation(s) | Lawyer, politician, military officer |
| Known for | South Dakota Attorney General; commander of 3rd U.S. Volunteer Cavalry Regiment during Spanish–American War |
Melvin Grigsby (June 8, 1845 – February 15, 1917) was a distinguished American lawyer, political figure, and military officer originating from South Dakota. A veteran of the American Civil War who served in the Union Army, Grigsby is recognized for his tenure as South Dakota Attorney General and for organizing and leading the 3rd United States Volunteer Cavalry Regiment during the Spanish–American War.
Early life
Grigsby was born on June 8, 1845, in Potosi, Wisconsin, to parents William Etchison Grigsby and Rhoda (Thomas) Grigsby. When he was four years old, his family relocated to a farm situated near the village of Potosi. His initial education took place in local public schools before he advanced to attend Lancaster Institute, a private educational institution located in Lancaster, Wisconsin.
Civil War
In September 1861, Grigsby enlisted as a private with Company C of the 2nd Wisconsin Cavalry. He saw combat near Vicksburg, Mississippi and earned promotion to sergeant. On March 8, 1864, he was captured near the Big Black River and subsequently imprisoned in several Confederate camps including those at Canton (Mississippi), Cahaba (Alabama), Andersonville (Georgia), and Florence Stockade (South Carolina), spending more than six months confined at Andersonville.
Grigsby made one escape attempt but was apprehended again. On January 10, 1865, he successfully escaped from Florence Stockade and journeyed southward to join Union forces commanded by William T. Sherman during Sherman's March to the Sea. He reached Union lines on February 1 and remained with Sherman’s troops during their advance to Goldsboro, North Carolina in March.
Post-Civil War
Following his military discharge, Grigsby returned to Wisconsin and enrolled at the University of Wisconsin–Madison for one year before completing his studies at Platteville Normal School in 1869. He pursued a career in education as a teacher and principal at various schools across Wisconsin, including those in Horicon, Darlington, and Delavan. Concurrently with teaching, he studied law under attorney William Pitt Dewey and gained admission to the bar in 1872. Subsequently, he sought to build a legal career in the Northwestern United States.
Move to South Dakota
In June 1872, Grigsby established residence in Sioux Falls within Dakota Territory and entered into a law and real estate partnership with Richard F. Pettigrew that endured for four years. By 1877, he expanded into banking alongside George M. Smith, acquiring ownership of the Bank of Egan and later the Union Bank of Elk Point, serving as president of both financial institutions.
Active within Republican politics, Grigsby held the position of clerk of courts for Minnehaha County and completed two terms as an alderman in Sioux Falls. In 1886, although narrowly missing the Republican nomination for Delegate to Congress, he secured election to the territorial House of Representatives that same year.
During the mid-1890s, Grigsby embraced the free silver movement along with other reform initiatives that contributed to the emergence of the People's Party. After an unsuccessful campaign for South Dakota Senate in 1894, he won election as South Dakota Attorney General in 1896 by defeating candidates from both the Republican and Prohibition parties.
While serving as attorney general, Grigsby terminated an investigation concerning alleged missing funds within the State Auditor’s office after identifying errors and inconsistencies which led him to decide against prosecuting either current or former auditors.
Spanish–American War
When the Spanish–American War broke out in 1898, Grigsby took the initiative to organize a cavalry unit comprising volunteers from South Dakota and neighboring states. He successfully obtained congressional authorization for three volunteer cavalry regiments: the 1st Cavalry (known as the Rough Riders) commanded by Leonard Wood and Theodore Roosevelt, the 2nd Cavalry (Rocky Mountain Riders) led by Jay L. Torrey, and the 3rd Cavalry, commonly referred to as Grigsby's Cowboys, which he personally commanded.
As a colonel, Grigsby oversaw the formation and training of his regiment at Camp Thomas, Georgia. Subsequently, he was elevated to acting brigadier general and placed in charge of the 1st Cavalry Brigade within the First Army Corps, a position he held until the conclusion of hostilities. This brigade was mustered out in September 1899 without having been deployed overseas.
Continuing his military involvement after the war, Grigsby proposed reconstituting his regiment for deployment to China during the Boxer Rebellion in 1900 and offered to raise volunteers to support Japan in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904; however, neither initiative received federal approval.
Later career
By 1900, Grigsby had realigned with the Republican Party, partly due to a conflict with Populist Governor Andrew E. Lee. In May 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt appointed him United States Attorney for Alaska’s second judicial district, headquartered in Nome. He served in this capacity until his resignation in May 1904. His term was marked by controversy—he lacked backing from South Dakota’s congressional delegation and was officially reprimanded for leaving Alaska during winter 1903 against explicit instructions.
In early 1904, Grigsby faced allegations of bribery linked to an Alaska oil company but was exonerated by March. He subsequently announced his resignation effective July, attributing his departure to issues of favoritism and stating that his appointment aimed to assist his son George Barnes Grigsby’s career development in Alaska. Henry M. Hoyt, cousin of the U.S. Solicitor General, succeeded him; George remained as Assistant U.S. Attorney and later assumed the role of U.S. Attorney.
Returning to Sioux Falls, Grigsby resumed practicing law and maintained an active political presence. He attended President Roosevelt’s inauguration in 1905 and frequently spoke publicly on national holidays and significant occasions.
In 1912, while retaining his Republican affiliation, he supported Roosevelt’s Progressive Party presidential campaign and sought the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate but was defeated by Thomas Sterling, another Roosevelt supporter who went on to win the general election.
Amidst unrest related to the Mexican Revolution, Grigsby offered to organize a volunteer force to protect the U.S.-Mexico border; however, federal authorities opted to deploy National Guard units instead. In 1916, he once again backed Roosevelt’s presidential ambitions and made an unsuccessful bid to become a delegate at the Republican National Convention.
Death and burial
Diagnosed with anemia in 1916, Grigsby underwent treatment at a sanatorium located in Battle Creek, Michigan. In January 1917, he established a new law practice with his son John and participated in founding and managing Sioux Falls’ Stockyards Bank. Later that month, complications arose when he contracted pneumonia alongside his anemia. Seeking improved health conditions, he traveled to Birmingham, Alabama; however, his health deteriorated further, resulting in his passing on February 15, 1917. Grigsby was laid to rest at Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Sioux Falls.
Family
In 1873, Grigsby wed Fannie Lou Kingsbury. Together, they raised four children: Sioux, George, Fannie, and John.
Sioux K. Grigsby took on roles in both chambers of the South Dakota legislature and held the office of lieutenant governor between 1945 and 1949.
George Barnes Grigsby occupied numerous significant positions in Alaska, including serving as U.S. Attorney in Nome, mayor of Nome, the inaugural Alaska Attorney General, and Delegate to Congress representing the Alaska Territory.
Fannie Lou Grigsby (1888–1985) pursued a career in music; she graduated from Chicago Musical College, taught at Wheaton College, and worked as a piano accompanist for the Chicago Opera Company.
John T. Grigsby practiced law and engaged in politics within South Dakota, holding the lieutenant governorship from 1929 to 1931.
Author
Grigsby authored The Smoked Yank in 1888, a work recounting his experiences during the Civil War.