Ruel E. Dana Biogrpahy


	This biography appears on pages 1083-1084 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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	RUEL E. DANA, secretary and treasurer of the corporation of 
Wait & Dana, editors and publishers of the Armour Herald, was born in 
Fairmount, Minnesota, on the 23d of May, 1872, being a son of Charles T. 
and Lucinda (Gilman) Dana, of whose five children he is the eldest of 
the three now living, the others being Frank N., who is a resident of 
St. Paul, Nebraska, and Myrtie L., who is the wife of William A. 
Torbert, of Deavertown, Ohio. The father of the subject came of staunch 
New England stock, of English extraction. He was born in the state of 
Vermont, in 1820, and as a young man he set forth to seek his fortunes 
in the west, becoming one of the pioneers of the state of Wisconsin, 
where he remained for a few years and then repeated his pioneer 
experiences in Minnesota, where he resided many years. His death 
occurred in St. Paul, Nebraska, August 4, 1893, at the age of seventy-
three years. In his youth he learned the trade of carpenter, becoming a 
skilled artisan in the line, and he was for many years successfully 
engaged in contracting and building, while he also was prospered in his 
operations as a farmer. In 1887 he removed to Howard county, Nebraska, 
and later to Thomas county, in the same state, where he remained about 
three years. He identified himself with the Republican party at the time 
of its organization in Wisconsin and continued to support its cause for 
many years, but finally identified himself with the People's party, of 
whose principles he continued a stanch advocate until his death, at 
which time he was incumbent of the office of county commissioner of 
Thomas county. In earlier years he held, at various times, practically 
all the county offices in the section where he resided, having never 
been defeated for any office for which he was a candidate, and having 
been a power in local affairs, showing much ability in the marshalling 
of political forces and being an influential factor in his party 
councils. His wife, who was born in the province of Quebec, Canada, July 
20, 1842, is now sixty-two years old. Mr. Dana held membership in the 
Methodist Episcopal church in his earlier life, while his widow is a 
member of the Baptist denomination.  

	Ruel E. Dana, the immediate subject of this sketch, remained at 
the parental home until he had attained the age of sixteen years, his 
educational advantages having been such as were afforded in the public 
schools during a portion of the winter periods, his time during the 
summer months being taken up with work on the farm. At the age noted he 
initiated his independent career, having, in the summer of 1887, entered 
the office of the Advance, a weekly paper then published at Worthington, 
Minnesota, under the editorial direction of A. P. Miller, a prominent 
journalist and a poet of considerable reputation. There Mr. Dana gained 
his initiation into the mysteries of the "art preservative," remaining 
until the autumn of the same year, when he accompanied his parents on 
their removal to Nebraska, where he secured employment in the office of 
the St. Paul Phonograph and later was an employe of the Greeley Herald, 
at Greeley Center, that state. In October, 1892, Mr. Dana came to 
Howard, South Dakota, arriving here without funds, since the proceeds of 
his former labors had largely been devoted to assisting in the support 
of the family. Previous to his arrival he had been offered employment in 
the office of the Miner County Democrat, in Howard, resigning his 
position with the Greeley (Nebraska) Herald to accept the South Dakota 
position, and less than two months later, on the 1st of December, 1892, 
he formed a partnership with Levi D. Wait, his present associate, and 
purchased the plant of the Democrat "on tick," which they continued to 
publish under the same title, the enterprise proving a financial 
success, as is evident when we revert to the fact that the young men 
were able to pay for their plant within eleven months after its 
purchase, while they advanced the paper to a position among the best and 
most widely quoted in that section of the state. In 1898 Mr. Dana 
purchased his partner's interest and individually continued the 
publication about one year, when he sold the plant and business to Mr. 
Wait, and he then secured employment in a local mercantile 
establishment, his impaired health having necessitated this change of 
vocation. In the autumn of 1900 Mr. Dana went to Seneca, Missouri, where 
he took a working interest in the Seneca Dispatch, with an ultimate view 
of purchasing the property if satisfied with the business outlook and 
climatic conditions. After a six-months residence in the Missouri town 
he was not satisfied, however, and thereafter made a trip through 
Oklahoma, Indian Territory and Texas, returning to Howard, South Dakota, 
in April, 1901, and there rejoining his family. Within the period of his 
absence Mr. Wait had sold the Democrat and in May, 1901, had come to 
Armour and contracted for the purchase of the Armour Herald, publishing 
the first copy under his name. One week later Mr. Dana joined his old 
partner here. and purchased a half interest in the business, which has 
since been continued under the firm name of Wait & Dana, merged into a 
corporation January 5, 1904, all the stock being owned by the subject 
and his partner.  

	In politics Mr. Dana is a zealous advocate of the principles of 
the Democratic party, in whose work he has taken an active part. While a 
resident of Howard he held the office of village recorder for two terms. 
In the fall of 1902 yielding to the importunities of his party friends, 
he became a candidate for the office of auditor of Douglas county, and 
he was elected to this office notwithstanding the fact that the normal 
political complexion of the county is strongly Republican and that he 
had been a resident of the county only eighteen months at the time of 
his election. He received a majority of thirty-one votes, and was 
appreciative of the honor conferred upon him by the voters of the 
county, while his service has proved the wisdom of their confidence and 
support. Fraternally, Mr. Dana is a Mason and a member of Washington 
Lodge, No. 104, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of Armour. He passed 
through all the chairs of Lodge No. 48, Independent Order of Odd 
Fellows, at Howard and has been a representative to the grand lodge of 
the state. He is also identified with the encampment of the order and 
with the Daughters of Rebekah, while he is affiliated with Armour Camp, 
No. 2746, Modern Woodmen of America. He and his wife are communicants of 
the Protestant Episcopal church. Mrs. Dana is at present noble grand of 
Pleiades Lodge, No. 86, of Armour, and is the representative to the 
state assembly, of South Dakota, for 1904.  

	On the 15th of August, 1894, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. 
Dana to Miss Ellen Moore, of Howard, this state, and they are the 
parents of three children, Florian Alice, Charles M. and Clarence E.