William J. Rowlands Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1452 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 J. ROWLANDS, a successful farmer and stock raiser of Brown 
county, was born in Wales on the 14th of July, 1846, and was brought to 
America when one year old and grew to manhood's estate in Columbia 
county, Wisconsin, where his parents settled on coming to this country. 
He was reared to agricultural pursuits and on attaining his majority 
selected that ancient and honorable vocation for his life work, and has 
followed it ever since, meeting with the success that inevitably attends 
the man of industry whose efforts are directed by good natural ability, 
and whose career bears the stamp of earnestness and sincerity of 
purpose. Mr. Rowlands succeeded well as a farmer and continued his 
labors in. Wisconsin until 1880, in the fall of which year he sold his 
possessions in that state and became a resident of Brown county, South 
Dakota. Shortly after reaching his destination he took up a homestead, 
three miles northwest of Bath, but after holding the same until ~88~ and 
making a number of improvements, he disposed of the place and moved to 
his present home, three miles north of Plana, where he now owns a finely 
improved farm of four hundred and eighty acres, a large part of which is 
in cultivation, the remainder consisting of rich pasture land, 
peculiarly adapted to live-stock purposes. Mr. Rowlands is an up-to date 
agriculturist and as a raiser of fine cattle he has a reputation second 
to that of few of his fellow citizens similarly engaged. He has 
prospered greatly since coming west, being the possessor of a beautiful 
and attractive home, while his business affairs have so worked to his 
advantage that he is now in independent circumstances. While not a 
politician in the exclusive sense of the term, he is decided in his 
allegiance to the Republican party and has been a delegate to a number 
of conventions, besides rendering valuable service to the ticket. 
Religiously he subscribes to no creed or statement of faith, but is a 
regular attendant of the Presbyterian church, to which his wife belongs, 
contributing of his means to its support, as well as to the building up 
and sustaining of charitable institutions irrespective of name or order. 

	The married life of Mr. Rowlands dates from January, 1887, when he 
was united in the bonds of wedlock with Miss Sarah Morris, of New York, 
the union being blessed with children as follows: John Howard, Eunice 
E., Catherine J. and Beulah May.