Washington C. Graybill Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1503-1504 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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	WASHINTGTON C. GRAYBILL, one of the highly honored citizens of 
Chamberlain, was born in Fairfield county Ohio, on the 24th of January, 
1851, being a son of Samuel R. and Sarah A. (Carlisle) Graybill, of 
whose children five are living, namely: Henry Clay, who is traffic 
manager of the Belt Railroad & Stock Yards Company in the city of 
Indianapolis, Indiana; George R., who is traveling emigrant agent for 
the Frisco Railroad Company, at Shelbyville, Illinois; Frank C., who is 
engaged in the commission trade in Kansas City, Missouri; Washington C., 
who is the immediate subject of this sketch; and Sarah O., who is the 
wife of Charles McLeod, of Portland, Oregon. The father was likewise 
born in Fairfield county, Ohio, whither his parents removed from 
Pennsylvania in the pioneer days, both having been native of Germany. 
Samuel R. Graybill was reared on the pioneer farmstead and as a young 
man prepared himself for the legal profession, being duly admitted to 
the bar of his native state. About 1859 he removed to Shelby county, 
Illinois, where he engaged in farming and stock growing, having been led 
to devote his attention to the great basic art of agriculture from the 
fact that he had married the daughter of a prosperous farmer. His own 
parents were well-to-do and had given him a liberal education, but he 
never had cause to regret his final choice of vocation. He was 
originally an old-line Whig, but eventually arrayed himself with the 
Democracy, having held various local offices. His death occurred in 
1895, while his wife passed away in 1871. 

	The honored subject of this sketch was reared on the homestead 
farm and after duly attending the public schools continued his studies 
in the Shelbyville College, in Shelbyville, Illinois. At the age of 
nineteen he began teaching in the district schools, and for thirteen 
years thereafter was successfully engaged in pedagogic work. In 1883 he 
came to Dakota and located in Chamberlain, where he was soon afterward 
admitted to the bar of the territory, having previously given careful 
attention to the study of law while engaged in teaching. He opened a law 
office here and also established himself in the real-estate business, 
while he soon gained a strong hold on the confidence and regard of the 
community. In 1886 he was elected county judge of Brule county, and was 
chosen as his own successor two years later, giving a most able and 
discriminating service on the bench and showing himself well informed in 
the minutiae of the law. In 1890 Judge Graybill was elected register of 
deeds of the county, serving one term, and in 1894 he was appointed 
receiver of the United States land office at this place, retaining this 
position until 1898. In the fall of 1902 he was elected to represent his 
district in the lower house of the state legislature, being also the 
minority candidate for speaker, and here he has shown himself once more 
the loyal citizen and one deeply interested in the welfare and progress 
of his state, serving on several important committees. He has ever been 
a stalwart Democrat and has been an active worker in the party cause. He 
is a prominent member of the Masonic fraternity, being affiliated with 
Chamberlain Lodge, No. 56, Free and Accepted Masons; Pilgrim Chapter, 
No. 10, Royal Arch Masons; St. Bernard Commandery, No. 11, Knights 
Templar, at Mitchell, and El Riad Temple, Ancient Arabic Order of the 
Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, at Sioux Falls; while he has been also a 
prominent figure in the Knights of Pythias, having served as grand 
chancellor of the grand lodge of the state in 1890, and being a member 
of Castle Lodge, No. 10, in his home city. 

	On the 30th of January, 1895, Judge Graybill was united in 
marriage to Miss Marion W. Perry, of Saratoga Springs, New York, no 
children having been born of this union. Mrs. Graybill's only brother, 
Dr. John L. Perry, is one of the proprietors of the United States Hotel 
at Saratoga, New York, and it is worthy of mention that the family is 
related to Commodore Perry, of Lake Erie fame.