Ethelbert Warren Grabill Biography


	This biography appears on pages 391-392 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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				ETHELBERT WARREN GRABILL.  

	Ethelbert Warren Grabill, dean of the College of Music of the 
State University, was born in Newtonia, Missouri, June 25, 1863, a son 
of Ethelbert H. and Mary (Cooper) Grabill. In early life the father was 
connected with Newton College in an official capacity but later turned 
his attention to banking and finance. He became a well known banker of 
Springfield. Missouri where he passed away in November, 1912. His widow 
survived him for less than a year, dying in May, 1913. They had six 
children: Lee R., a resident of Washington, D. C., who is a civil 
engineer in the employ of the District of Columbia; Ethelbert Warren; 
Lina, the wife of O. J. Hill, of Kansas City, Missouri; Winogene, the 
widow of Professor R. C. Chapin and a resident of Beloit, Wisconsin; 
Ada C., of Springfield, Missouri; and Florence, who died in infancy.  

	Ethelbert W. Grabill grew to manhood in southwestern Missouri and 
secured his general education in the public schools. in the high school 
at Newtonia and at Drury College of Springfield. He left the last named 
institution in his junior year and matriculated in the Cincinnati 
College of Music, which he attended for two years. He then went to 
Washington, D. C., and taught music privately for five years, after 
which he returned to Springfield, Missouri, and was a private teacher 
of music there for four years. At the end of that time he became 
director of music in the Springfield Normal School and held that 
position for two years. He then went to Germany, studying for one year 
in Berlin, and after his return to America was director of music in 
Campbell University at Holton, Kansas, for a year. He then again went 
to Berlin, Germany, and continued his studies in that musical center 
for two years. He was next connected with Texas College, now Trinity, 
at Waxahachie, Texas, for a year, and in 1900 removed to Vermillion, 
South Dakota, having accepted the position of director of the College 
of Music. Two years later he was made dean of the College of Music of 
the State University and has held that position since. He is a thorough 
musician, having the ability to develop the musical talent of others, 
and under his direction the College of Music is providing excellent 
training for its Students and is proving a moving force in the musical 
education of the people of the state. Dean Grabill owns a small dairy 
ranch in Idaho and derives therefrom a gratifying addition to his 
income.  

	The marriage of Mr. Grabill and Miss Clara Mignon Fowler was 
solemnized June 15, 1906. Mrs. Grabill is a native of Kansas and a 
daughter of William H. and Ellen (Smith) Fowler, natives of Connecticut 
and New York state respectively. Her father was a merchant and one of 
the pioneers of Kansas, having driven to that state from Connecticut. 
Both he and his wife are living and make their home in Denver, 
Colorado. They were the parents of eight children, five of whom 
survive, and Mrs. Grabill is the third in order of birth.  

	Mr. Grabill is liberal in his political views and a firm believer 
in the single tax. The study of political economy is his chief 
avocation and he has become quite an authority upon that science. He 
has written considerable upon the subject that has been published and 
that has received favorable comment. He is also the author of a 
textbook on piano technique, published by the Boston Music Company, 
which has quite a wide use and which has been favorably commented upon 
not only in America but also in Europe. Since becoming a member of the 
university community he has made a place of honor and esteem for 
himself and has also taken part in the wider life of the city of 
Vermillion, having a great interest in all that affects in any way his 
adopted state.