Paul Dutcher Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1444-1445 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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	PAUL DUTCHER, senior member of the firm of Dutcher & Breed, 
editors and publishers of the Brookings Register, is a native of the 
Badger state, having been born in Stoughton, Dane county, Wisconsin, on 
the 9th of August, 1864, and being a son of Curtis E. and Lucinda C. 
(Mattice) Dutcher, the former of whom was born in May, 1831, and the 
latter on the 25th of September of the same year. The father of the 
subject stood representative of one of the early pioneer families of the 
state of Michigan, his birth having occurred in Bloomfield, Oakland 
county, that state, while he was a son of William Dutcher, who was born 
in the state of New York, being of sturdy Holland Dutch stock. Curtis E. 
Dutcher was reared to manhood in Michigan and as a young man he adopted 
a seafaring life, becoming a sailor before the mast and visiting all the 
important ports of the globe. He continued to follow the sea until his 
marriage, which was solemnized in 1861, and he then located in 
Stoughton, Wisconsin, where he engaged in the mercantile business, later 
removing to Lone Rock, that state, where he continued in the same line 
of enterprise for a time, finally removing thence to Waterloo, 
Wisconsin, where he passed the remainder of his life, his death 
occurring on the 15th of April, 1872 His widow, who was born in the 
state of New York, is now residing in Aberdeen, South Dakota. Of her two 
children, the younger is the subject of this sketch, while his brother, 
Ward, is superintendent of the job department of the Daily News office 
in Aberdeen, this state. 

	Paul Dutcher secured his early educational discipline in the 
public schools of Waterloo, Wisconsin, where he continued his studies 
until he was about fourteen years of age, after which he passed one year 
in the high school at Lake Mills, that state, where his mother was at 
the time teaching, having followed this vocation for many years and 
having received her education in a ladies' seminary at Schoolcraft, 
Michigan. At the age of about ten years the subject began to depend, to 
a certain extent, upon his own resources, since he was but nine years of 
age at the time of his father's death. He worked on farms and in various 
other capacities until he was fourteen years of age, when he accompanied 
his mother to the city of Milwaukee, where his elder brother was then 
located. There he served his novitiate in the "art preservative," 
securing a position in the office of the Evening Wisconsin, and there 
learning the printer's trade, remaining there employed for a period of 
five years, at the expiration of which he returned to Waterloo, that 
state, where he and his brother effected the purchase of the Waterloo 
Journal, the publication of which they continued for the ensuing two 
years. 

	In August, 1884, the subject came to South Dakota and located in 
Clark county, where he was employed in the office of the Clark Pilot for 
a brief interval, at the expiration of which he purchased the Raymond 
Gazette, at Raymond, Clark county, successfully publishing the same for 
five years. He then removed to Aberdeen and took a position in the 
office of the Daily News. Six months later he came to Brookings, and on 
the 1st of June, 1890, he established the Brookings Register, with the 
publication of which he has since been identified. In the same year he 
became associated with George N. Breed in the purchase of the Brookings 
Sentinel, which they consolidated with the Register, and they have since 
been associated in the conducting of the enterprise, having made the 
paper a particularly successful one and developed the same into one of 
the best papers in the state. The Register is staunchly Republican in 
its political policy and is an appreciated exponent of local interests 
in all lines. The firm began operations upon a most modest scale, and 
they now have one of the best equipped newspaper plants to be found in 
any county seat town in the state, while the job department is 
maintained at an equal standard of excellence. Mr. Dutcher has been a 
member of the South Dakota Press Association from the time of its 
organization until within the past few years, having identified himself 
with the same in 1884, prior to the admission of the state to the Union. 
In the Masonic fraternity he has made the circle of the York-rite 
degrees, being identified with the lodge, chapter, council and 
commandery in Brookings, as well as the chapter of the Order of the 
Eastern Star, and he has taken a deep interest in the affairs of this 
time-honored fraternity, being past master of his lodge at the time of 
this writing, while in 1903 he served as grand steward of the grand 
lodge of the state. He is also a member of the local lodge of the Modern 
Woodmen of America. Mr. Dutcher has been an uncompromising advocate of 
the principles of the Republican party from the time of attaining the 
right of franchise. He served four years as aide-de-camp on the staff of 
Governor Seldon, with the rank of colonel, and in 1895 he was assistant 
chief clerk of the house of representatives in the legislature of the 
state. He and his family attend the Presbyterian church, of whose board 
of trustees he was chairman for a period of six years. They have an 
attractive residence in Brookings and the same is a favorite rendezvous 
for their wide circle of friends, the family being prominent in the 
social life of the community. Mr. Dutcher has been practically dependent 
upon his own resources from the early age of nine years, and on this 
score it is gratifying to note the distinctive success he has attained 
in temporal affairs. Of his cherished and devoted mother, who has now 
attained the venerable age of more than three score years and ten, it 
may further be said that she came of staunch old Knickerbocker stock. 
Her father, Lawrence B. Mattice, was born at Middleburg, Schoharie 
county, and her mother, whose maiden name was Bouck, was a relative of 
Governor Bouck, who was a prominent figure in the early history of the 
Empire state. 

	On the 15th of June, 1885, Mr. Dutcher was united in marriage to 
Miss Susan M. Adams, a daughter of Hon. Mic Adams, of Columbus, 
Wisconsin, an honored pioneer of that state and a man of prominence and 
influence in public affairs. Mr. and Mrs. Dutcher are the parents of two 
children, namely: Raymond A., who was born on the 28th of March, 1886, 
and who is now a student in the State Agricultural College, in 
Brookings; and Gladys Pauline, who was born on the 25th of August, 1892, 
being now a student in the public schools.