Willis Hiram Booth Biography


	This biography appears on pages 901-902 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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				WILLIS HIRAM BOOTH. 

	It has been frequently said that "there is no more popular man in 
Sioux Falls than Willis Hiram Booth." This popularity does not depend 
upon any prominent public position to which he has attained, for he has 
never sought to figure in any public connections outside of business. 
That his friends are legion is due to the fact that he has been an 
honorable and enterprising business man, a progressive and public-
spirited citizen and one whose geniality is native and whose cordiality 
is unfeigned. He was born in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, April 23, 1858, and 
is a son of Hiram and Sarah G. (Ordway) Booth, the former a native of 
New York, while the latter came from Boston, Massachusetts. 

	In the public schools of his native city Willis H. Booth pursued 
his education and at length put aside his textbooks in order to learn 
the jeweler's trade. He began in that way at an early age in Beaver Dam 
and throughout his entire life has been connected with that department 
of commercial activity. Thinking that the growing northwest offered 
good business opportunities, he came to Sioux Falls on the 12th of 
August, 1880, and here worked at his trade until 1884. In that year he 
established a jewelry store of his own and has since conducted the 
business. He has enlarged his stock to meet the growing demands of the 
trade, occasioned by the increased population of the city, and his line 
of jewelry is carefully selected and his stock tastefully and 
attractively arranged. His business methods are such as will bear the 
closest investigation and scrutiny, conforming at all times to the 
highest standard of commercial ethics. He is obliging, courteous and 
tactful and in the management of his business displays a spirit of 
unfaltering energy and of unfailing enterprise. 
At Rushmore, Minnesota, in 1886, Mr. Booth was united in marriage to 
Miss Grace R. Wemple. and to them have been born two daughters: 
Marguerite R., the wife of J. Knapp Brown; and Dorothy Grace, who 
married Harry N. Aikens. 

	The parents are members of the Episcopal church and Mr. Booth 
belongs also to the Knights of Pythias and the Benevolent Protective 
Order of Elks. In Masonry, too, he has attained high rank, having taken 
the degrees of the York and Scottish Rites, while with the Nobles of 
the Mystic Shrine he has crossed the sands of the desert. His political 
allegiance has ever been given to the republican party since age 
conferred upon him the right of franchise but he has never desired nor 
sought office, preferring to concentrate his energies upon his business 
affairs. He has ever recognized the fact that intense industry must be 
counterbalanced by pursuits of recreation and his friendly nature has 
prompted his cooperation in social events which have made him widely 
known in his adopted city. Everyone speaks of him in terms of high 
regard and all are proud to claim his friendship.