William T. Doolittle Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1826-1828 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 T. DOOLITTLE was born in Loudenville, Ohio, March 30, 
1849. He attended school until he was fourteen years of age, and then 
entered a railroad machine shop as an apprentice. When nineteen years 
old he became engineer, and since March, 1873, has been engineer on 
passenger trains. He was in charge of the first passenger engine that 
ran into Sioux Falls, and, except for a little more than a year, has 
been the engineer on the passenger train between Sioux Falls and 
Worthington, Minnesota, since then.

	In 1879, an incident occurred which gave him an unexpected 
vacation for thirty days. He was the engineer of the train which during 
that year started out from Worthington with R. F. Pettigrew and a Mr. 
Bottineau on board, each of them having in his pocket a deed which he 
was particularly anxious to get on record in Sioux Falls first, and was 
induced by Mr. Pettigrew to detach the engine at Brandon east of the 
city and bring Mr. Pettigrew in on the engine. Mr. Pettigrew explained 
to Mr. Doolittle that the attorneys on the other side were on the train 
with a snap judgment and were making every effort to get it on record 
before his, and that if they succeeded in doing so it would work a 
hardship on the people of Sioux Falls who had bought their homes, as 
they would be compelled to relinquish them without recompense. Mr. 
Doolittle replied that he would do nothing of the kind for Mr. 
Pettigrew, but he would do it for the people of Sioux Falls. Mr. 
Bottineau made complaint to the superintendent of the road, John F. 
Lincoln, stating the facts and demanding fifty thousand dollars 
damages. Superintendent Lincoln sent for Engineer Doolittle, and when 
he appeared the following colloquy took place: "William, if what is 
told is true, I am afraid you have gotten the company into trouble. I 
am told you detached your engine and took a party into Sioux Falls that 
he might get a deed on record before another passenger who had a deed 
to the same property, could do so. Is this true?" Mr. Doolittle 
replied, "It is." Mr. Lincoln then said: "I could not believe you would 
do such an act. The party having the other deed says he is damaged 
fifty thousand dollars by the transaction, and demands your dismissal, 
and threatens to sue the company for damages." Mr. Doolittle replied, 
"If my dismissal will appease the wrath of the gentleman, it is a small 
matter; but as to the damages, that is another thing." Here Mr. 
Doolittle, who had had been advised of all the facts in the case, 
related them to the superintendent, and told him it was simply a 
robbing scheme and so satisfied the superintendent that it was true, 
that he ended the interview by bringing his fist down on his desk, 
saying: "Let him sue; he can't recover a cent; but William, you need a 
rest of thirty or sixty days; take a vacation; I will see that your pay 
goes right along."

	Mr. Doolittle resides with his family in Sioux Falls, where he 
has one of the finest homes in the city, and where for a number of 
years he has been prominent in the public and civic affairs of the 
municipality. He was elected alderman from the first ward in 1896, re-
elected two years later, and since May, 1897, he has served as 
president of the council. In 1879 he organized the first divisor of 
Locomotive Engineers in Sioux City, Iowa, was chief of the organization 
for several years, and much of its success is directly attributable to 
his able and untiring efforts.

	Mr. Doolittle has been identified with a number of undertakings 
since coming to Sioux Falls, notably among which are the Citizens' 
Telephone Company and the Interstate Telephone Company of Sioux Falls, 
being superintendent of the first named enterprise and president of the 
other two.

	Mr. Dolittle has always had the good of the community at heart, 
and, as an enterprising, progressive citizen, gives his influence and 
generous support to all measures calculated to promote the general 
welfare. He is prominent in Masonic circles, has served as grand 
commander of the grand commandery, Knights Templar, of South Dakota, 
besides filling the honorable position of potentate of El Riad Temple, 
Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. Socially and as a citizen he stands well, 
numbers his friends by the score among all classes and conditions of 
people, and enjoys to a marked degree the esteem and confidence of the 
public.

	Mr. Doolittle's family consists of a wife and two children, the 
former before her marriage having been Miss Catherine Strock, of 
Galveston, Indiana. The only son, who resides at Sioux Falls, is Walter 
S., a locomotive engineer on the Omaha road, who was first lieutenant 
in a South Dakota regiment during the Spanish-American war, and saw 
much active service in the Philippines; Mary Grace, the youngest of the 
children, is still a member of the home circle.