William F. Brennan Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1029-1030 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 F. BRENNAN. 

	William F. Brennan, a prominent agriculturist and leading citizen 
of Kingsbury county, has been a resident of South Dakota for about a 
third of a century and now owns and cultivates five hundred and sixty 
acres of valuable land in Whitewood township. His birth occurred in 
Dane county, Wisconsin, on the 23d of February, 1859, his parents being 
Martin and Ellen (O'Sullivan) Brennan. The father came to South Dakota 
in 1884. taking up a homestead claim on section 1, township 109, range 
55, where he carried on agricultural pursuits continuously and 
successfully until called to his final rest in November, 1909. The 
period of his residence in the community covered a quarter of a century 
and his death was the occasion of deep and widespread regret. The 
demise of his wife occurred in the year 1895. Their home was 
established in this state in pioneer times and their son, M. J. 
Brennan, was the first section boss and moved the first section house 
here. 

	William F. Brennan acquired his education in the public schools 
of his native state and was a young man of twenty-three years when in 
1882 he came to South Dakota, preceding his parents by two years. He 
took up a homestead claim on section 1, township 109, range 55, and as 
the years have passed has added to his original holdings until he now 
owns five hundred and sixty acres in Whitewood township, Kingsbury 
county, cultivating the entire tract. In connection with the production 
of cereals he is also engaged in the raising of shorthorn cattle, 
keeping many head. Modern farming implements facilitate the work of the 
fields, and in his undertakings as an agriculturist Mr. Brennan has won 
a well merited and gratifying measure of success. 

	On the 25th of June, 1902, Mr. Brennan was united in marriage to 
Miss Caroline Munkler, a daughter of Thomas Munkler and a 
representative of a well known pioneer family of South Dakota. Mr. 
Brennan is a supporter of the democracy and a prominent figure in state 
politics, having been elected to ,the senate for a two-year term in 
1910. In 1904 he was sent as a delegate to the democratic national 
convention at St. Louis and he has attended nearly all the state 
conventions, as well as two territorial conventions. In his home 
community he has also been called to serve in public office, acting as 
chairman of the town board and the school board. He is a Catholic in 
religious faith and has membership in the Knights of Columbus, 
belonging to Huron Lodge, No. 777. In motoring he finds needed 
recreation as well as pleasure. As a pioneer of South Dakota, Mr. 
Brennan has been an interested witness of its development and growth 
and has aided in the work of progress along many lines.