Charles H. Tinkham

Early undertaker and owner of the first furniture store in De Smet.

Furniture and Undertaking. Under this head we are pleased to reader to the well stocked establishment of C.H. Tinkham, founded 1880, and is one of the pioneer concerns of De Smet. Mr. C’s stock, though not as large as the metropolitan stores, comprises a stock much larger than those generally found in a place of this size. He also carries in stock: wall paper, books, newspapers, periodicals and a large assortment of fancy goods. Mr. Tinkham was among the first to locate here, and whatever measure of success he has achieved has surely been deserved. — The De Smet Leader

     
Charles Tinkham was one of a small group of merchants who set up a De Smet business before the arrival of the railroad. He walked from Volga ahead of a load of lumber in the spring of 1880, continuing in business until his retirement in the late 1920s. His business started with only a few chairs in stock, and he spent the Hard Winter of 1880-1881 with little business and even less money, baching with other men in one of the business houses in town. He was very involved in the De Smet town school, often sponsoring graduating classes and drilling students in their studies and class performances.

Mr. Tinkham advertised himself as “the bald-headed furniture guy” in the newspapers, and his picture usually accompanied his advertisements. He was so well-known in the area that payments were known to have been mailed to him, arriving with only his “bald headed” newspaper image pasted to an envelope.

This biography is from Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography, including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and representative citizens of South Dakota (Chicago: G. A. Ogle & Co., 1898),435.

Charles H. Tinkham is one of the leading merchants of De Smet, Kingsbury county. He operates a large furniture house, dealing also in picture frames, wall paper, shades, etc., besides having a department devoted entirely to undertaking.

Mr. Tinkham was born in Somerset County, Maine, May 28, 1854. His parents, Orville W. and Clara (Holbrook) Tinkham, are natives respectively of Massachusetts and Maine, and of English and Scotch extraction. Orville Tinkham was born September 14, 1820, and his wife November 25, 1825. They were married in Maine, and settled in Somerset County, where they still reside, the parents of five children: Frank M., Charles H., the subject of this sketch, Granville C., deceased, Orville C. and Emma, deceased.

Charles spent his early days upon the farm in Maine receiving his education in the district schools, and at the Eaton Family and Day school, of South Norridgewock, Maine. At the age of seventeen he commenced teaching school, and followed the profession during the winter months for the next seven years, in the summer working in a shoe factory at West Bridgewater and Campello, Massachusetts.

In the spring of 1876 Mr. Tinkham went west to Minnesota, filing on some land in Rock county, that state. Later he accepted a position with Angell & Loomis, dealers in furniture and harness at Luverne, in the same state. He remained there until 1879, when he went back to Massachusetts. On the 21St of October of that year he was married to Miss Addie L. Jennings, at Cochesett. Mrs. Tinkham was born at Taunton, Massachusetts, November 25, and is the daughter of William H. and Harriet (Lona) Jennings.

In the spring of 1880, Mr. Tinkham came to South Dakota, locating immediately at De Smet. Soon afterward he engaged in his present business upon a small scale. He has been very successful, and has continued year after year to enlarge and put in new lines, until to-day he has one of the best and most complete stocks of furniture, household wares, undertaker’s goods, etc., to be found in any town of similar size in the state. Mr. Tinkham is also president and one of the largest stockholders of DeSmet Stove Company, incorporated, manufacturers of straw consuming stoves, ranges, etc. This is also a large and flourishing concern. Mr. Tinkham is prominent among the Odd Fellows, being now a past grand patriot in the fraternity. He is a Republican in politics, and always manifests a keen interest in public affairs. He was one of the first trustees of DeSmet, having been one of the original village board. In 1884 he was elected treasurer of Kingsbury County, and served one term, giving general satisfaction in the discharge of his duties.

Mr. and Mrs. Tinkham had one son, Harold, who was born October 19, 1882. He died in De Smet in 1933. Charles Tinkham died at the Odd Fellows home in Dell Rapids in 1938. He and his family are buried in the De Smet cemetery.

The following biography of Mr. Tinkham was published in 1898:

     

Tinkham family
     Charles H. (LTP 17)
     Adeline (LTP 17, 19; PG)
     Tinkham’s Furniture Store (LTP 6, 17; PG)
     Furniture store (PG)
     De Smet Cemetery tour info for TINKHAM