William F. Bruell Biography This biography appears on pages 1562-1563 in "History of South Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net. This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. WILLIAM F. BRUELL, of Redfield, one of the representative members of the bar of Spink county, was born in Earlville, La Salle county, Illinois, on the 1st of January, 1872, and is a son of Gustav and Martha (Myers) Bruell, the former of whom was born in Prussia, the family having been members of the German nobility several generations back, but the estates having been confiscated during one of the German wars. He came to America as a young man and in Illinois married his wife, who was born in that state, and it was his to render valiant service to his adopted country as a soldier in the Union army during the war of the Rebellion. He is now one of the extensive farmers and landowners of Spink county, whither he came from Illinois in 1880. He came to what is now South Dakota with very little means, and he and his family endured many hardships and privations in the early years, but they plodded on and finally their industry and integrity were rewarded. The subject of this review was a lad of eight years at the time of his parents’ removal from Illinois to South Dakota, and it was his to experience all the bitter and grinding poverty of the early pioneer life here. The greatest ambition of the subject was to secure an education, but the hot winds blighted the crops and his hopes were deferred for many years, but in time were at least partially realized. From early youth he had an ambition to enter the legal profession, and after a desperate struggle with poverty and the burning of much midnight oil, he finally finished his college course. From the age of twelve to that of sixteen years, he attended school only three months each year, and yet managed to keep pace with the members of his class who attended nine months. While attending college he had the care of fourteen horses, then walked two miles to his school and seldom arrived late, and he found the discipline of value, for it is ever true that adversity has its beneficent uses. After attending the public schools of Redfield Mr. Bruell entered Redfield College, in which he completed a thorough course, being graduated as a member of the class of 1895 and receiving the degree of Bachelor of Philosophy. He has also taken special post- graduate college work in higher English and sociology. He has distinctive and appreciative literary tastes, has accumulated a fine private library and enjoys nothing better than a few quiet hours among his books or in digging among the flowers of his garden. In 1896-7 Mr. Bruell read law in the office of Howard & Walsh, of Redfield, and was admitted to practice before the supreme court in 1897, and a short time afterward to the federal courts. His professional life has been a busy one and one of signal devotion to its work, and today he enjoys one of the best paying practices in his section of the state. He has just completed the erection of a new residence in Redfield, which is one of the most modern and attractive in this section. He is a member of the directorate of one of the leading banks of the town, and has other capitalistic and real-estate interests. He has never held any important political offices, in fact has been too busy to accept candidacy. He has been a staunch supporter of the Republican party from the time of attaining his majority, and he has rendered effective service in the cause, having had charge of several local campaigns, while in the various conventions he is always on hand to further the interests of his friends. He is identified with the Masonic fraternity and several other orders, is a member of the board of trustees of Redfield College and also of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which both he and his wife are valued members. Prior to her marriage Mrs. Bruell had charge of the primary department of the Redfield graded schools and she has always been prominently identified with social, religious and educational affairs in the city. On the 20th of September, 1900, Mr. Bruell was united in marriage to Miss Carol Riggs, a daughter of Samuel H. and Eliza Riggs, who still reside in this county. Mr. Riggs was one of the early pioneers of this section and was one of the first to advocate irrigation by means of artesian wells.