Levi Stone Tyler Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1190-1191 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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	LEVI STONE TYLER, secretary of the Retail Merchants' Fire 
Insurance Company, of South Dakota, whose home offices are in the city 
of Sioux Falls, was born in Greenfield, Massachusetts, on the 7th of 
June, 1847, and is a son of Levi and Sarah C. (Harrington) Tyler, 
representatives of prominent old families of New England. He secured his 
education in the public schools of his native town, being graduated in 
the high school as a member of the class of 1861, after which he was for 
a short interval employed in a clerical capacity in a mercantile 
establishment in Greenfield. He then became identified with the express 
business and in the connection was finally advanced to the position of 
local agent in his home town, where he remained until 1868, when, at the 
age of eighteen years, he determined to follow the advice of Horace 
Greeley and "go west and grow up with the country." He visited Cheyenne, 
Wyoming, and Omaha, Nebraska, and finally located in Des Moines, Iowa, 
where he clerked in a store about one year, at the expiration of which 
he removed to Dallas county, that state, and located in Xenia, where he 
opened a general store, where he built up a successful business, while 
for two years he served as postmaster of the village. When the first 
railroad was completed through that section the new town of Perry sprung 
up on its line, Xenia being a number of miles distant from the railroad, 
and Mr. Tyler removed his stock of goods to the former place, where he 
successfully continued business for the ensuing four years, at the 
expiration of which he disposed of his interests there and returned to 
Des Moines, where he was again engaged in clerking about two years. He 
then accepted the position of messenger for the American Express Company 
on the run between Fort Dodge and Minneapolis, while later he was 
assigned to the run between Tracy and Pierre. In the spring of 1881 he 
filed entry on a preemption claim in Hand county, this state, and 
remained on the same until he had perfected his title. He then returned 
to Tracy, Minnesota, and again became a railway express messenger, in 
which capacity he was employed until June, 1887, when he was appointed 
agent for the American Express Company at Tracy, Minnesota, of which 
office he was incumbent until October 12, 1892. In that year he was 
elected a member of the Minnesota legislature, representing the 
sixteenth district, and he proved a valuable working member of the 
assembly, while he takes justifiable pride in the work he there 
accomplished in connection with providing for the erection of the new 
state capitol, in the city of St. Paul. At the close of his term as a 
member of the legislature he became traveling auditor for the American 
Express Company, and at the expiration of a year became agent for the 
company in the city of Duluth, where he remained a short time, being 
then made the company's agent in the city of Sioux Falls, in 1894. He 
continued in tenure of this position until 1898, when he was elected to 
the state senate, being nominated as a silver Republican. After the 
expiration of his term in the senate he became bookkeeper at the state 
penitentiary, in this city, retaining the office until 1901, when a 
change in political domination led to his retirement. In the autumn of 
that year he opened a general store at Harrisburg, Lincoln county, where 
he effected the organization of the Tyler Mercantile Company, of which 
he has since been secretary and treasurer. the business having already 
grown to be one of very considerable scope and importance. At the 
convention of the Retail Merchants' Association held in Sioux Falls in 
January, 1903, he was one of those prominently concerned in the 
organization of the Retail Merchants' Fire Insurance Company, of which 
he was chosen secretary at the time, while he is also a member of its 
board of directors. Through his executive and administrative ability the 
work of the company has been signally advanced and its affairs are in a 
most prosperous condition. He is one of the liberal and progressive 
citizens of the state and is held in high regard in both business and 
social circles. In politics he was originally a Republican, but in 1896 
identified himself with the Bryan Democracy, being convinced that the 
financial policy of the party as defined in the Kansas City platform is 
best calculated to further the public prosperity of the nation, and he 
has ever taken a lively interest in political affairs. Fraternally he is 
identified with the Sioux Falls lodge of the Benevolent and Protective 
Order of Elks. 

	On the 18th of February, 1873, Mr. Tyler was united in marriage to 
Miss Josephine Alice Perkins, who was born and reared in Indianapolis. 
Indiana, while their marriage was solemnized in Dallas Center, Iowa, of 
which place she was a resident at the time. Mr. and Mrs. Tyler have 
three children, Persis Uretta, who is the wife of Wellington Andrews, of 
Sioux Falls; Nathaniel Stone, who is a resident of Cherokee, Iowa; and 
Josephine Alice, who is the wife of Sioux K. Grigsby, of Sioux Falls.