Frawley Family Collection

Henry Frawley was born into a large family in New York on March 13, 1851. He graduated with a law degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1876. A year later, he joined a wagon train headed for Deadwood, arriving in town and setting up his law office in July of 1877. Frawley worked on his own for two years but formed a partnership with Edward L. Kohen in 1879. The law firm existed until 1881 when Kohen left South Dakota. After practicing on his own for another few years, Frawley partnered with John P. Laffey to create the firm of Frawley and Laffey. Frawley also practiced law with two of his brothers throughout his lifetime. The partnerships never lasted long as the brothers moved on to new opportunities quickly. As a lawyer in Deadwood, Frawley represented a number of high profile clients in civil and criminal cases and was counsel for Burlington Missouri Railroad, American National Bank, and Golden Reward Mining Co.

In 1890 Henry married Christina Anderson, the daughter of James and Catherine Anderson. The Anderson family operated a dairy located between Spearfish and Deadwood as well as the Anderson ranch. After his wedding, Henry purchased ranch land near his in-laws and continued to acquire surrounding lots over the next two decades. Both Henry and his wife managed the land which expanded to nearly 5,000 acres and included the land of the Centennial Valley schoolhouse and cemetery. Their partnership meant that both Henry and Christina signed right-of-way agreements, leased land, and oversaw ranch hands. Christina and Henry had three children: Honorah, Henry James, and William. All three children eventually were sent out of state to complete their education with Henry James and William attending Notre Dame University.

Christina’s mother was a well-known and successful business woman in her own right and Henry and Christina often helped her with legal paperwork. Catherine Anderson married twice after the death of her first husband, first to Enos Lane and then to George Perry. From these marriages, Catherine acquired both land and businesses. She used the name Catherine Lane Perry from 1908 onwards. Christina acted as her mother’s attorney-in-fact after 1918 and handled nearly all paperwork dealing with land and financial issues for her mother. Catherine Lane Perry died in 1920.

Beyond his law practice and successful ranching ventures, Henry Frawley became involved in mining. In 1905 stockholders of the Hidden Fortune Gold Mining Company elected Frawley to a director position. Unfortunately, the company was already struggling. In 1904 stockholders had been advised that the company would be unable to pay its debts and that mill and mine performance was declining. Frawley, as well as a number of other directors, used personal funds to help the company. A lawsuit brought against the company in 1906 and a foreclosure by bondholders forced stockholders to transfer the Hidden Fortune properties to the Columbus Consolidated Company, the transfer was completed in 1907. Henry continued his directorial position with the Columbus Consolidated Company but the financials strain from the Hidden Fortune closure forced him to borrow from family, friends, and business associates.

By 1920 family issues as well as financial losses led Frawley to travel to Nebraska seeking treatment for exhaustion. He remained there until his death in 1927. Henry Frawley was declared incompetent by the courts of Lawrence County, South Dakota in 1925, Christina Frawley was granted guardianship of the estate. She managed the Frawley Ranch until her death in 1942. The property was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1977.