William H. Bloom Biography


	This biography appears on pages 804-805 in "History of Dakota Territory" 
	by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. IV (1915) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				WILLIAM H. BLOOM.  

	William H. Bloom is widely known in Watertown and Codington 
county and is one of the well-to-do and prominent residents of that 
section of the state. He has dealt extensively in land and owns a large 
acreage in Codington county. He has also bought and sold a great deal 
of stock, this line of activity proving especially profitable. He is 
one of the pioneers of Codington county, arriving there before a stake 
had been driven in laying out the city of Watertown.  

	Mr. Bloom was born in Baraboo, Sauk county, Wisconsin, on the 
11th of December, 1854, a son of George W. and Harriett (Wilkinson) 
Bloom, both natives of Pennsylvania, where they grew to maturity and 
were married. They subsequently removed to Sauk county, Wisconsin, 
where the father engaged in farming for some time, but later devoted 
his time largely to buying and selling farm lands, becoming a heavy 
holder of agricultural properties. When the Chicago & Northwestern 
Railroad was built from Madison to Winona and passed through his 
section of the state he gave the right of way through his lands and 
also the grounds for the depot at Freedom, which was thereafter known 
as Bloom's Station in his honor. He subsequently engaged in the 
mercantile and lumber business and became prominent in those 
connections. In 1892 he sold his interests in Wisconsin and removed to 
Harvey, Illinois, where he became the owner of a great deal of 
property. He passed away in 1910, at the advanced age of eighty-three 
years. His widow had preceded him in death by a score of years, dying 
in 1890, when fifty-eight years of age.  

	William H. Bloom was given the advantages of excellent home 
training and attended the public schools in the pursuit of his literary 
education. He remained at home as his father's assistant in the conduct 
of the latter's varied business interests until he was a young man of 
twenty-three years. He then came to South Dakota, being convinced that 
exceptional business opportunities awaited the young man of energy and 
industry in this new country. He took up a homestead on the shore of 
Lake Kampeska and also entered a tree claim five miles from the present 
city of Watertown. He immediately engaged in the business of locating 
settlers on claims and in the intervening years to the present time has 
been prominently identified with the land business. In the summer of 
1878 he established a stage line from Gary to Lake Kampeska which he 
operated until the running of trains over the Northwestern Railroad 
made a stage line unnecessary Although the railroad was finished some 
time previous to 1879 no trains were operated over it until the spring 
of that year as several bridges were burned and this delayed matters. 
Mr. Bloom has for many years bought and shipped stock extensively and 
in the early days he shipped into his section many horses used by the 
farmers there. He is one of the heaviest landowners in Codington 
county, having one ranch five miles east of Florence which consists of 
eleven hundred acres and which is devoted to the raising of grain and 
stock. He also holds title to various other farm properties in that 
county.  

	Mr. Bloom was married on the 15th of February, 1881, to Miss 
Alice Sproul, of North Freedom, Wisconsin, and to them were born two 
daughters: Edith, the wife of Frank Michaels, who is engaged in the 
clothing business in Watertown; and Hattie, deceased.  

	Mr. Bloom is a republican but has confined his political activity 
to the exercise of his right of franchise. His fraternal affiliations 
are with Watertown Lodge, No. 838, B. P. O. E., and the Ancient Order 
of United Workmen. He also holds membership in the Watertown Commercial 
Club and the Watertown Country Club and is identified with many 
movements seeking the development of his section of the state. He has 
resided in Codington county since pioneer times and his memory 
encompasses the various stages of development that have changed South 
Dakota from a somewhat forbidding wilderness to a prosperous 
agricultural section. In the many years that he has resided in 
Watertown he has gained the confidence and goodwill of his fellow 
citizens and has made and retained many friends.