J. M. Doyle Biography This biography appears on pages 1044-1045 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. J. M. DOYLE, one of the influential and honored business men of Delmont, Douglas county, is a native of Grant county, Wisconsin, where he was born on the 10th of May, 1854, being a son of John and Mary (Brady) Doyle, of whose six children five are living, namely: Dr. E. M., who is engaged in the practice of his profession in Yankton, this state; Thomas, who is a resident of Grant county, Wisconsin; Garrett, who, likewise, resides in that county; John S., who is a resident of Kansas City, Missouri; Sarah M., who married William Sheridan in October, 1881, and died a widow in 1892; and J. M., who is the subject of this review. The father of the subject was born in County Wicklow, Ireland, where he was reared to maturity, and he was there identified with the mining industry until 1846, when he emigrated to America, locating in Grant county, Wisconsin, as one of its early pioneers, and there he engaged in mining for two years. He entered a tract of Government land in that county, improved a good farm, to whose cultivation he gave his attention until his death, which occurred in 1886, at which time he was seventy- three years of age. He was twice married, the maiden name of his first wife having been Farrell, and of this union were born four children, of whom two are living, -Terrence, who is a retired farmer of Pocahontas county, Iowa; and Anna, a maiden lady, residing in Shellsburg, Wisconsin. The mother of the subject was also a native of County Wicklow, Ireland, and she died in 1881, at the age of sixty-five years, both she and her husband having been zealous members of the Catholic church, while the latter was a Democrat in politics. J. M. Doyle was reared on the homestead farm in Wisconsin, receiving his early educational discipline in the public schools and supplementing the same by a course of study in St. John's College, in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. In 1879 he and his brother Garret rented land in Grant county, that state, where they were engaged in farming for the ensuing two years, at the expiration of which they purchased a meat market in Fairplay, Wisconsin, conducting the same one year. In 1882 the subject came to Dakota, located in Plankinton, Aurora county, and thus becoming one of the pioneers of what is now the state of South Dakota. He located two claims in that county and while complying with the legal requirements necessary to retaining the same he conducted a confectionery store in the village mentioned, there continuing his residence for seven years. Within this period he made a visit to his old home in Wisconsin, remaining about one year. In 1890 Mr. Doyle disposed of his property in Plankinton, Aurora county, and removed to Pocahontas county, Iowa, with the intention of engaging in the real- estate business in company with bankers there. No satisfactory arrangements could be made, however, and after teaching a three-months term of school in Iowa, he returned to Dakota, taking up his residence in Plankinton, and from March until July, 1889, he held the position of insurance underwriter for the Dakota Mutual Protective Association, which was organized and incorporated under the laws of the territory for the purpose of rendering insurance indemnity on live stock, the executive corps being as follows: H. C. Ayres, president; Richard Hancy, secretary, and W. T. Lafollette, manager. In the autumn of the same year Mr. Doyle went again to Iowa, passing some time there and in the city of Chicago, his object being to promote the organization of a land company to handle western properties, but again he was unable to enlist satisfactory capitalistic cooperation, and after teaching school for three months, in Pocahontas county, Iowa, he returned to South Dakota, locating in Delmont on the 17th of August, 1891, as the representative of the firm of T. McMichael & Son, of McGregor, Iowa. He had the management of their elevator and grain business here until 1898, when he purchased the business, which he has since successfully continued. In January, 1892, he established the first permanent hog market in Delmont, and he is today one of the heaviest buyers of grain and live stock in this section of the state, while he is known as an energetic and able business man and as one who is worthy of unqualified confidence and esteem, which are uniformly accorded by all who know him. In politics he is a stanch advocate of the principles of the Democratic. party, but he has never been ambitious for public office. In the fall of 1902, he was tendered by his party friends the nomination for either sheriff of the county or for representative of the district in the state legislature, but he refused to become a candidate for either office. He was later appointed a member of the board of county commissioners, to fill the vacancy caused by the removal from the county of the regular incumbent, D. M. Brennerman. He is a most effective and popular auctioneer, in which line he is a pioneer in this section, his services being in demand throughout a wide radius of country in the crying of sales of various sorts. He and his wife are communicants of the Catholic church, and fraternallv he is affiliated with Armour Lodge, No. 100, Ancient Order of United Workmen, at Armour. On the 14th of June, 1898, Mr. Doyle was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Catherine Kelley, who was at the time principal of the Delmont public schools, being a lady of refinement and gracious presence, and they are the parents of two children, William Bryan and Lucille Bernice.