Ralph A. Dunham Biography


	This biography appears on pages 376-379 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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				RALPH A. DUNHAM.  

	Ralph A. Dunham, a practitioner at the bar of Clark county, 
opened an office in 1908 and has since practiced independently. 
Previously he was associated with a well known law firm. The spirit of 
enterprise characteristic of the middle west has been manifest in his 
career. He was born in Manchester, Delaware county, Iowa, September 22, 
1879, a son of Abner and Sophronia (Boynton) Dunham. The father filled 
the office of sheriff and was also recorder of Delaware county for many 
years, making a creditable official record. For several years he 
engaged in farming and later he became interested in the building of 
the Santa Fe Railroad through Kansas. He afterward became private clerk 
to David B. Henderson in Washington, where he continued for three 
years, but while visiting his son, Ralph A., in South Dakota, he caught 
cold and returned home, where he died. At the time of the Civil war he 
proved his loyalty to the Union by enlisting with the northern troops, 
becoming a first lieutenant in Company F, Twelfth Iowa Infantry. Later 
he joined the Grand Army of the Republic and he was also a member of 
the Loyal Legion in Iowa. Progress and patriotism might well be termed 
the keynote of his character. His widow survives at the age of sixty-
seven years and makes her home at Manchester, Iowa. 

	Reared in his native county, Ralph A. Dunham attended the public 
schools, passing through consecutive grades until graduated from the 
high school with the class of 1898. Later he determined to make the 
practice of law his life work and with that end in view became a 
student in the University of Iowa, where he completed his law course 
with the class of 1904. The same year he was admitted to the bar and 
came direct to Clark, South Dakota, where he accepted a clerkship in 
the office of Elrod & McGaan, prominent attorneys. In June of the 
following year he was admitted to a partnership and continued to 
practice as a member of that firm for three years or until 1908, when 
he opened an office independently He has since enjoyed a fair share of 
the public patronage. He is very careful in the analysis of his cases 
and in presenting his cause discriminates readily between the essential 
and the nonessential and recognizes the important points upon which the 
decision of the case finally turns. He has also been identified with 
newspaper publication and was the owner of the Clark County Courier for 
three years but disposed of that paper in April, 1914, in order to 
concentrate his undivided attention upon the practice of law. 

	On the 7th of April, 1907, Mr. Dunham was united in marriage to 
Miss Julia A. Brooks, a daughter of H. E. and Rhoda (McSpadden) Brooks, 
her grandfather being the well known "Captain McSpadden," of Clark 
county, who settled here at an early date. The three children of this 
marriage are Ralph A., Rhoda M. and Beth.

	Mr. Dunham gives his political endorsement to the republican 
party and by broad reading and study keeps in touch with the leading 
questions and issues of the day. In the fall of 1912 he was elected to 
the office of state's attorney and on the 1st of January, 1913, assumed 
the duties of that position. He belongs to the State Bar Association 
and also to the State Press Association. He is likewise a member of the 
Elks lodge at Watertown and he attends the Congregational church. When 
his professional duties do not make heavy demand upon his time he 
enjoys a hunting trip or game of tennis, but he concentrates his 
efforts upon his law practice and displays in his work in the courts a 
thorough grasp of the law with ability to accurately apply its 
principles.