William W. Downie Biography This biography appears on pages 668-669 in "History of South Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. I (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. This file is part of the SDGENWEB Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://www.usgwarchives.net/sd/sdfiles.htm WILLIAM W. DOWNIE, editor and publisher of the Herald Advance, at Milbank, was born in Hamilton, Ontario, on the 2d of March, 1855. George Downie, his father, was born in Scotland and was a blacksmith by occupation. When William was about six years old his parents moved to Michigan and in that state he spent his youth and early- manhood, receiving a common-school education and on leaving home he entered a newspaper office in Spring Lake. After becoming an efficient workman he was employed for a number of years in various offices in Michigan, and St. Paul, Minnesota, and in 18879 came to Big Stone City, South Dakota, where he started the same year the Herald, the first newspaper published in Grant counts-. The Herald, during the ten years of its publication at Big Stone, acquired a liberal patronage and became a Republican party organ of no small influence. In 1889 it was moved to Milbank and consolidated with the Advance, since when the Herald Advance has made its weekly appearance with a constantly increasing circulation and a steadily growing advertising patronage. In its mechanical make-up it is a creditable example of the art preservative, and in a general way it is designed to vibrate with the public pulse and to be a reflex of the current thought of the day. It is the official Republican organ of Grant county, and under the management of Mr. Downie, who is a keen and forceful writer, its influence in moulding party sentiment and contributing to the success of the ticket is second to none in the northwestern part of the state. Through it as a medium, Mr. Downie has done much to promote the material welfare of Milbank and Grant county) being a strong advocate of all enterprises calculated to advance the interests of: the people, and he has been untiring in his efforts to improve the social, educational and moral condition of the community. While living at Big Stone city he served as the first mayor of the city and for some years as justice of the peace, and since coming to Milbank has been active in public affairs, being honored with important official position, having been appointed in the spring of 1903 postmaster, the duties of which trust he has since discharged with credit to himself and to the entire satisfaction of the public. He also served on the board of education, and as president of that body labored so effectually to promote the interests of the schools that in point of efficiency they now compare favorably with those of the larger and much more pretentious cities. In addition to his educational and official duties, Mr. Downie owns a fine. farm, under a high state of cultivation. He is active in Masonic circles, being a Sir Knight, and is also identified with the Modern Woodmen of America and Independent Order of Odd Fellows, having passed all the chairs in the latter fraternity. Mr. Downie was married at Big Stone, August 15, 1882, to Miss Henrietta Molm, daughter of John W. Molm, a native of Germany and one of the early pioneers of Grant county. Mrs. Downie was born in Pennsylvania, but has spent the greater part of her life in South Dakota, having been quite young when her parents came to Big Stone. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Downie has been blessed with two children, the older of whom, Jessie, died at tie age of seven years. The other is Bessie E. Both Mr. and Mrs. Downie are leading members of the Methodist Episcopal church of Milbank.