William H. Bayne Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1202-1203 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	WILLIAM H. BAYNE was born near Medina, Orleans county, New York, 
on December 30, 1840. His father was a farmer and William H. devoted his 
early life to the rugged outdoor labor so conducive to health, physical 
development and the formation of industrious habits. His education 
embraced the common-school course and he grew to young manhood well 
prepared for the duties that awaited him as an industrious and 
intelligent American citizen. He was a young man in his twenty-first 
year when the country became alarmed by the threat of civil war and when 
the rebellion broke out he tendered his services to the government, 
enlisting in November, 1861, in Company D, Twenty-eighth New York 
Infantry. He accompanied his command to the front and saw considerable 
active duty in Maryland and along the Potomac river, but after a few 
months a severe attack of typhoid fever caused him to be sent to the 
hospital at Winchester, where he remained under treatment until his 
discharge, just six months and ten days after entering the army. 

	In the spring of 1864 Mr. Bayne went to Toledo, Ohio, for the 
purpose of helping his uncle run a boat on the Miami canal, but soon 
reaching that city he changed his mind and again entered the military 
service, joining Company C of the One Hundred and Thirtieth Ohio 
National Guards, with which he continued for a period of four months and 
twenty days. During a part of that time his command was stationed at 
Johnson's Island, and from there was sent to Virginia, where it did 
guard duty principally until the expiration of the subject's period of 
enlistment. On leaving the army Mr. Bayne went to Michigan and, 
purchasing a small tract of land near the city of Coldwater, engaged in 
the pursuit of agriculture. After spending fifteen years in that state, 
he disposed of his land and other interests and in 1880 came to South 
Dakota and located a claim near Rondel, Brown county. Immediately 
following this he went to Chicago and began working at carpentry, which 
trade he had previously learned, and for a considerable length of time he 
was employed in the town of Pullman, at various kinds of mechanical labor. 

	Returning to Dakota in 1880, Mr. Bayne secured a tree claim and 
homestead, which he has since improved and on which he now lives, 
devoting his original homestead to the raising of live stock. He carries 
on farming and the livestock business quite extensively and has made a 
success of both, owning at this time one of the best improved places in 
the township of his residence, in addition to which he rents 
considerable land for the prosecution of his agricultural interests. He 
pays considerable attention to live stock, making a specialty of cattle 
and hogs, and from this source derives a liberal share of his income. 
Mr. Bayne is an enterprising man and a creditable representative of that 
large and respectable class of yeomen that in a quiet, unostentatious 
way have done so much to improve the great west and develop its 
resources. A gentleman of pleasant manner and mien, courteous in his 
relations with others, he makes friends of all he meets and exercises a 
wholesome influence among his neighbors and fellow citizens. His sound 
judgment, practical common sense and correct ideas of right led to his 
election to the office of justice of the peace, which position he held 
for a period of ten years, proving an able and discreet dispenser of 
justice, as is attested by the fairness of his rulings and the impartial 
manner in which he rendered his decisions. Mr. Bayne is a Republican in 
politics and remained true to the principles of his party when it was 
threatened with disruption by the Populist movement of a few years ago. 
He has never been a seeker after public position, but labors earnestly 
for the success of the party's candidate preferring to work for others 
rather than claim official honors for himself. 

	Mr. Bayne was married while living in Michigan, but his wife died 
in California a few years ago. Her maiden name was C. A. Kingsley and 
she bore him children as follows: Alice S., who lives in Sioux City, 
Iowa; Georgia M., wife of John Humphrey, also of that place; Pearl, now 
Mrs. John Meesh, of California, and Mrs. Ella E. Gay, whose home is in 
California. In 1884 Mr. Bayne was married to Jennie F. Cool, of Grand 
Detour, Illinois. Fraternally Mr. Bayne belongs to the Grand Army of the 
Republic and at different times has filled official position in the 
local post with which he holds membership.