Harry L. Gandy Biography


	This biography appears on pages 539-540 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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				HARRY L. GANDY. 

	Harry L. Gandy, of Rapid City, member of congress from the third 
district of South Dakota, was born in Churubusco, Indiana, on the 13th 
of August, 1881, a son of W. S. and Ellen J. (Matthews) Gandy. His 
mother died when he was but seven years old and his father was 
subsequently married to Emily J. Donaldson, who is still living. W. S. 
Gandy was a lawyer by profession and was highly esteemed by his 
colleagues and the general public. He has passed to his reward. 

	Harry L. Gandy is the third in order of birth in a family of four 
children. After passing through the grammar and high schools of 
Churubusco he taught school for a while and then entered the Tri-State 
College at Angola, Indiana, from which he was graduated with the 
Bachelor of Science degree with the class of 1901. He resumed teaching 
but did not continue in that profession long, as he decided to engage 
in the newspaper business and entered that field at La Grange, Indiana, 
where he continued until 1907, when he sold out and eame to South 
Dakota, locating at Rapid City. He was made a night editor of the Rapid 
City Journal and held that position for a year and a half and 
subsequently served as manager of the Gate City Guide. He next 
purchased the Wasta Gazette, of which he is still the owner and which 
is a progressive, reliable and prosperous paper. 

	On the 14th of March, 1910, Mr. Gandy was appointed United States 
commissioner and continued in that connection until he resigned on the 
1st of July, 1913. During his incumbency he received public land 
applications and heard the final proofs in that section and proved very 
efficient in the discharge of his duties. At the general election of 
1910 he was elected to the state senate from Pennington county by a 
majority of eighty-five on the democratic ticket, although at that time 
the county was normally republican by a majority of about six hundred 
In 1912 he was the democratic candidate for congress from his district 
and, while he was defeated, succeeded in reducing the usual republican 
majority by about seven thousand. On the 21st of June, 1913, he was 
appointed receiver of public moneys of the United States land office, 
his being the first land office appointment in the state under the 
Wilson administration. His appointment was confirmed by the senate five 
days later without an objection. On the 16th of July, 1913, he took 
charge of the office and while serving therein instituted a number of 
reforms that greatly promoted the efficiency of the office and 
benefited the homesteaders A homesteader himself, he understood the 
ways in which the land office could increase its service to those who 
take up public lands and his previous experience as commissioner gave 
him an unusual grasp upon the duties of the position of receiver. At 
the primary election in March, 1914, he was again nominated by the 
democratic party for congressman from his district and in the following 
November was elected by a majority of sixteen hundred and thirty-two. 
He has the distinction of being the first democratic congressman ever 
elected in the state. Those who have followed his career so far have no 
hesitancy in predicting for him achievement in congress that will 
reflect honor upon himself and credit upon his district and state. 

Mr. Gandy was married on the 30th of October, 1909, to Miss Frances 
Keiser, a daughter of James and Anna (Williamson) Keiser, of Wasta, 
South Dakota. Fraternally he is a member of the Masons, the Independent 
Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias, and in his daily life 
he recognizes the claims of his fellowmen upon him, thus practicing the 
basic teaching of those orders. He has an enviable record as a public 
official and his political success has come as the merited reward for 
the efficient and conscientious discharge of his duties and a 
recognition of his grasp of the political problems of the time. His 
campaign was made upon a straightforward presentation of issues that 
left no doubt in the minds of his constituents as to his position upon 
the political questions of the day.