Eminent Farmer
County: Clark
Everett Fletcher is a well known producer of certified seed potatoes in Clark County. His work contributed greatly to the boast that Clark County is the “Potato Capitol of South Dakota.” He did much of the first work with the new popular LaSoda variety of potatoes. He grew out some of the first seedling crosses made by Dr. Julian C. Miller of the University of Louisiana. He has had the grand champion exhibit at the State Crop Show four times during the past five years.
Fletcher’s potato interests expanded until he now has adequate storage facilities to handle up to 40,000 bushels. This year he received the Goodyear Tire award for his soil conservation work.
Everett was born at Garden City, South Dakota, on December 6, 1897; moved with his parents to Illinois, then moved to southwestern North Dakota. In 1913 the Fletchers returned to their farm near Garden City.
After getting his education in the Garden City High School and the School of Agriculture at South Dakota State College, he married Lona M. Goodrich on December 7, 1920. Three children were born to this union: Alice (Mrs. Robert L. Dalton), Margery (Mrs. Donald G. Brekke) and Wayne, who farms with his father.
Fletcher has been an active member of the Methodist Church, treasurer since 1930. He has served many years on the board of the Lake Poinsett Youth Camp, on the board of the Methodist Jenkin’s Memorial Home for the Aged at Watertown, South Dakota, the school board, and the Garden City Board of Trustees.
In 1934, Everett was elected to the County Committee of AAA Farm Program and was chairman of the corn-hog program. He remained on the County Farm Program Committee for about 18 years. He has served as the District Supervisor for the Clark County Soil Conservation District since it was organized. He worked for 25 years as a member and then chairman of the Board of Directors of the South Dakota Potato Growers Association; and has been on the Board of Directors of the South Dakota Crop Improvement Association for many years. He is now on the state Seed Certification Committee. He has been director of the Clark County Livestock and Crop Improvement Association.