Bio of DURST, William Arthur (b.1870), Hennepin Co., MN
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EXTRACTED FROM: History of Minneapolis, Gateway to the Northwest; 
Chicago-Minneapolis, The S J Clarke Publishing Co, 1923; Edited by: Rev. 
Marion Daniel Shutter, D.D., LL.D.; Volume I - Shutter (Historical); 
volume II - Biographical; volume III - Biographical
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WILLIAM ARTHUR DURST - Vol III, pg 655-656
Through a period of thirty-six years William Arthur Durst has been connected
with the Minnesota Loan & Trust Company and through fidelity, capability and
indus­try has steadily worked his way upward until he is now at the head of this
institution as its president. The intervening years have brought him thorough
training and com­prehensive knowledge of every phase of the trust company
business until his opinions have long since been accepted as authority in
financial circles in the northwest.
Mr. Durst came to Minneapolis from the neighboring state of Wisconsin, his birth
having occurred in Monroe, Green county, on the 18th of November, 1870, his
parents being Henry and Louise (Jackson) Durst, who were natives of Switzerland
and of New York respectively. Coming to the new world, the father settled in
Wisconsin, where for many years he carried on a profitable business as a
merchant in Monroe, and in that state both he and his wife passed away.
After having acquired his educational training in the public schools of his
native city William A. Durst came to Minneapolis in 1887 and entered the employ
of the Minnesota Loan & Trust Company. Here his faithfulness to the interests
which he represented was soon manifest and his loyalty was supplemented by the
intelligent performance of all the duties that devolved upon him. Gradually,
therefore, he won advancement, being promoted through the successive positions
of bookkeeper and secretary until he was finally called to official service.
Eventually he reached the position of first vice president of what is today the
largest trust company in the Twin cities and then a later election placed him in
the presidency. He is now guiding the destiny and shaping the policy of this
banking house, long recognized as one of the strongest and most important in
this section of the country.
In 1893 Mr. Durst was united in marriage to Miss Clara J. West, also a native of
Monroe, Wisconsin, and to them has been born one child, Burdette H. Mr. and Mrs.
Durst are well known in Minneapolis, where the former has now resided for
thirty-six years. He votes with the republican party and is thoroughly informed
concerning the vital questions and issues of the day but has never been
ambitious to hold office. During the entire period of the World war he was a
member of the Capital Issue Committee, which committee passed on, and approved
or disapproved, all proposed financing in the Ninth Federal Reserve District. He
was also a member of the executive committee of the Minneapolis Liberty Loan
organization during the entire war. Mr. Durst is now serving his second
three-year term as governor on both of the boards of the Minneapolis and
Minikahda Clubs. He was formerly vice president and president of the Minikahda
Club. Fraternally he is a Mason, while religiously he is connected with the
Plymouth Congregational church.