Cincinatus C. Wiley Biography


	This biography appears on pages 750-752 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. I (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	CINCINATUS C. WILEY. - In the career of this enterprising 
business man and gallant ex-soldier of one of the greatest wars in the 
annals of history, the reader will not only find much that is 
interesting but may also profit by those experiences which when 
properly applied to prevailing conditions invariably lead to success. 
Cincinatus C. Wiley, of the firm of Wiley, Allen & Company, real estate 
dealers, Watertown, is a New England product and inherits many of the 
sterling qualities for which the people of that historic section of the 
Union have long been distinguished. His father, Dr. Hazare Wiley, a 
well-known physician and surgeon, was a native of Massachusetts and of 
Scotch descent, and his mother, who bore the maiden name of Mary 
Pierce, was also born and reared in the same state. Cincinatus C. is 
one of seven children, two now living, and was born in Franklin county, 
Massachusetts, on the 8th day of October, 1842. At the proper age he 
entered the public schools of his native place and prosecuted his 
studies therein until a youth in his teens, the meantime spending his 
vacations on a farm, with the rugged duties of which he early became 
familiar. After acquiring his education he followed agricultural 
pursuits until the breaking out of the great Civil war, when, with true 
patriotic fervor, he tendered his services to the country in the time 
of its need, enlisting, in 1861, in Company B, Tenth Massachusetts 
Infantry, for three years, being mustered in at the city of Springfield 
on June 21st of that year. Mr. Wiley's regiment was assigned to the 
Army of the Potomac and took an active part in many of the noted 
Virginia campaigns from the beginning of the war until near its close, 
participating in some of the bloodiest battles of the struggle. Among 
these were Fair Oaks, second Bull Run, Antietam, Milburn Hill, Mine 
Run, first and second battles of Fredericksburg, Wilderness, 
Spottsylvania Court House, Gettysburg and a number of others, to say 
nothing of numerous skirmishes and minor engagements, in all of which 
the subject bore himself as a brave and gallant soldier, prompt in his 
response to every duty and ready at all times to face danger and death 
in defense of the great principles for which so many patriots gave the 
last full measure of their devotion, to the end that the union of the 
states might be preserved inviolate. He was wounded at Spottsylvania, 
but not seriously, and on July 1, 1864, at the expiration of his 
enlistment was mustered out of the service, immediately after which he 
returned home and the following spring engaged in the lumber business 
in the state of Vermont.  

	Mr. Wiley devoted his attention to this line of activity from 
1865 to 1876, a period of eleven years, and then disposed of his 
interests in New England and came to South Dakota, arriving at Yankton 
on March 27th of the latter year. The following May he went to the 
Black Hills and for some time thereafter devoted his attention to 
prospecting and mining, with Deadwood as his headquarters, returning to 
Yankton the ensuing fall. In the spring of 1877 he came to Codington 
county, driving from Yankton with an ox team and taking possession of 
one hundred and sixty acres of land, which he had previously entered by 
filing a soldier's claim and on which he lived until the spring of 
1879, when he moved into town. Some months later he had his buildings 
moved to Watertown and, putting up an addition thereto, started a hotel 
which he conducted from 1880 to 1894, inclusive, and which the 
meanwhile became a well-known hostelry and one of the most popular 
resorts of the traveling public in the eastern part of the state. 
Disposing of his hotel interests, he again turned his attention to 
mining and after prosecuting the same almost exclusively until the 
spring of 1899, principally in the Black Hills district, he began 
dealing in real estate. The real estate firm of Wiley, Allen & Company 
does the largest business of the kind in Watertown and one of the most 
extensive in the state, having lands listed in all parts of the 
Dakotas, Oregon, California and other states and territories, their 
operations being far-reaching and important and of a magnitude which 
demonstrates their capacity as enterprising, progressive and thoroughly 
reliable business men. Additional to his real estate business, Mr. 
Wiley owns valuable mineral properties in various parts of the west, 
the most important of which are his interests in the group of gold, 
silver and lead mines on Kittle river, one hundred and twenty-eight 
miles north of Spokane in the state of Washington. These are being 
developed as rapidly as circumstances will admit and the richness of 
the territory and the vast quantity of ore in sight indicate 
independent fortunes for the owners at no distant day. Recently Mr. 
Wiley removed to Lents, Oregon, a suburb of Portland, where he is 
engaged in the real-estate business under the firm style of C. C. Wiley 
& Company.  

	Mr. Wiley is a wide-awake, public-spirited citizen, deeply 
interested in the public welfare, and he encourages with his influence 
and financial support all laudable enterprises to promote the same. He 
has taken an active part in county and municipal affairs, served two 
terms as treasurer of each, and as custodian of the people's funds made 
a record unshadowed by the slightest suspicion of anything 
dishonorable. In politics he is a Republican and for a number of years 
has been considered one of the leaders of his party in the county of 
Codington. Fraternally, he is identified with the Grand Army of the 
Republic, Independent Order of Odd Fellows and Ancient Order of United 
Workmen and he has been honored with the highest offices within the 
gift of the different local lodges to which he belongs.  

	Mr. Wiley was married April 12, 1865, in North Adams, 
Massachusetts, to Miss Harriett P. Sprague, a native of Vermont and the 
daughter of Farnum and Harriett F. Sprague, the union resulting in the 
birth of five children, namely: Lewis E., of Butte, Montana; Elmer, who 
died at the age of seven years; Alice F.; Cora A., wife of Oscar 
Eichiger, of Watertown, and Birdie, who died in childhood. Mrs. Wiley 
departed this life December 4, 1902, and her loss was deeply mourned in 
Watertown where she had a large circle of friends and acquaintances who 
held her in the highest personal esteem. She was a devoted member of 
the Congregational church, always profoundly interested in religious 
and benevolent enterprises and her beautiful Christian character and 
zealous endeavor in every good work endeared her to all who came within 
range of her influence.