Oscar S. Gifford

Oscar S. Gifford
U.S. Representative for South Dakota's At-large District
In office
November 2, 1889  March 4, 1891
Preceded by Constituency established
Succeeded by John Rankin Gamble
Delegate for Dakota Territory
In office
March 4, 1885  March 3, 1889
Preceded by John B. Raymond
Succeeded by George A. Mathews
Personal details
Born Oscar Sherman Gifford
(1842-10-20)October 20, 1842
Watertown, New York
Died January 16, 1913(1913-01-16) (aged 70)
Canton, South Dakota
Political party Republican
Occupation Lawyer

Oscar Sherman Gifford (October 20, 1842 – January 16, 1913) was an American lawyer of Canton, South Dakota. He served six years in the United States House of Representatives, first as the non-voting delegate from the Dakota Territory, then as a full member of the House from South Dakota.

Oscar was born in Watertown, Jefferson County, New York, and moved with his parents to Wisconsin, settling in Rock County and then in Brown County, Illinois. He served as a private in the Union during the American Civil War.

After the war Gifford studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1871, beginning his practice in Canton, Dakota Territory (now South Dakota). He was district attorney for Lincoln County, mayor of Canton, and a member of the State constitutional convention of South Dakota which convened at Sioux Falls on September 7, 1883. He was a Republican, and was twice elected as the Territorial delegate to Congress, and served from March 4, 1885 to March 3, 1889.

Upon the admission of South Dakota as a state, it was allocated two seats in the U.S. House. Candidates ran at-large for Seat A or Seat B. Gifford was the first Congressman elected to Seat B, and served from November 2, 1889 to March 3, 1891. He was not a candidate for re-election in 1890, and resumed the practice of law in Canton, where he died. He was interred in Forest Hill Cemetery in Canton.

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by
John B. Raymond
Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives
from Dakota Territory

March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1889
Succeeded by
George A. Mathews
Preceded by
District created
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from South Dakota's at-large congressional district

November 2, 1889 – March 4, 1891
Succeeded by
John Rankin Gamble


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