Thomas L. Bouck Biography


	This biography appears on pages 680-681 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. I (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	HON. THOMAS L. BOUCK. - Holding worthy prestige among the public 
men of South Dakota, and a leading member of the Grant county bar, the 
career- of Hon. Thomas L. Bouck presents much that is interesting and 
instructive, having risen to high official station and demonstrated in 
different spheres the ability to discharge worthily responsible duties. 
Mr. Bouck was born January 29, 1865, in Fulton, Schoharie county, New: 
York, and is the only son of Samuel Bouck, a prominent farmer and a 
descendant of one of the old Dutch families. The Boucks were there 
represented in colonial times and several of the name bore gallant 
parts in the Revolution, as well as in the various Indian wars. Samuel 
Bouck lived a long and useful life, dying in March, 1897, at his home 
in New York. His wife, Mary M. Vroman, survived him until July, 1902, 
and lies beside him in the old cemetery at Middleburg.  

	Thomas L. Bouck attended Hartwick Seminary, and, deciding to make 
the legal profession his specialty, entered the Albany Law School, 
completing the prescribed course in 1886 immediately after which he 
came to South Dakota and opened an office in Milbank. Here he soon won 
recognition and in due time built up a large and lucrative practice. 
For a number of years his name has appeared in connection with nearly 
every important case tried in Grant county. He was elected the first 
county judge in 1889 and served by successive reelections for three 
terms. In 1897 he was elected to the state senate, serving as such 
during two sessions, serving throughout on the judiciary committee and 
as a member of the temperance committee secured the present liquor 
legislation. Mr. Bouck was several times appointed city attorney, and 
in 1893 he was the Democratic candidate for circuit judge, failing of 
election by the small margin of only seventy-eight votes. In 1903 he 
was further honored by being elected mayor of Milbank, which office he 
still holds. Mr. Bouck's personal popularity is only limited by his 
acquaintance and many of his warmest friends and admirers hold 
political opinions directly opposite to his own. Not endorsing 
Bryanism, Mr. Bouck became identified with the Republican party in 
1900.  

	Mr. Bouck is the possessor of an ample competence, much of his 
means being invested in city real estate. In addition to a fine 
residence, one of the most attractive homes in the city, he owns a 
large two-story fifty-foot-front brick block and he also has valuable 
agricultural and live stock interests in the country, owning several 
earning farms.  

	Mrs. Bouck was formerly Miss Margaret L. McCarthy, the marriage 
occurring on the 14th of July, 1898. She was born at Luverne, 
Minnesota, her father, Michael McCarthy, being one of the early 
pioneers and widely known citizens of that state. They have two 
children, Thomas L. and Margaret L. Fraternally Mr. Bouck is a Knight 
Templar Mason and he is also connected with the Pythian and 
Red Men brotherhoods.