William Galvin Biography


	This biography appears on pages 431 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 GALVIN. 

	William Galvin, postmaster of Sturgis, was born in Peru, 
Illinois, December 16, 1862,a son of William and Mary (Garland) Galvin. 
He attended the schools of Council Bluffs and of Des Moines, Iowa, 
pursuing his education in the winter months, for from the age of twelve 
years he was employed at farm work through the summer seasons. His time 
was thus spent near Des Moines, Iowa, for five years, after which he 
went to Council Bluffs where he attended school for one year. On the 
expiration of that period he was employed in a brickyard for about a 
year, after which he learned the bricklayer's trade, continuing at 
Council Bluffs until November, 1890. He afterward worked at Fort Meade, 
doing repair work in brick work at intervals for about four years. He 
then entered upon the business of brick manufacturing at Sturgis and 
conducted his yard for five years. He next turned his attention to 
raising and herding cattle on the range and remained in that business 
for about ten years. He then sold out, for the land was being taken up 
by the settlers and this offered a profitable field in real estate. He 
therefore engaged in the real estate business until he was appointed to 
his present office as postmaster of Sturgis, in which capacity he is 
now serving. He is still a landowner of the state, however, holding 
South Dakota farm and ranch lands which he now rents to tenants, while 
he devotes his entire time to the duties of his present position, to 
which he was appointed on the 15th of July, 1914. 

	Mr. Galvin has always been a stalwart democrat in politics since 
age conferred upon him the right of franchise and does all in his power 
to promote the growth and secure the success of the party. For six 
years he served as a member of the city council and then resigned. He 
exercised his official prerogatives in support of various plans and 
measures for the public good and his work was fruitful of excellent 
results. He was also a member of the board of education of Sturgis for 
four years and he has served as a member of the democratic central 
committee of Meade county. 

	On the 29th of June, 1895, Mr. Galvin was united in marriage to 
Miss Ida Carver, who was born in Lincoln, Maine. Her father died in the 
Pine Tree state during the early childhood of Mrs. Galvin, and her 
mother now resides in Lee, Maine, at the age of about sixty years. 

	Mr. Galvin is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. 
Both he and his wife are well known socially in the community where 
they live and they have a circle of warm friends, who attest their 
worth and who entertain for them high and enduring regard. Mr. Galvin 
belongs to that class of representative business men who owe their 
success to indefatigable energy and industry, guided by sound business 
judgment.