William Frederick Michel Biography


	This biography appears on pages 903-904 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 FREDERICK MICHEL. 

	The name of William Frederick Michel, a real-estate dealer of 
Willow Lakes, has become widely known and he who bears it is personally 
popular because of his many substantial qualities, which win regard and 
esteem. Outside of the community in which he lives he is perhaps best 
known as the man who planned the Clark county exhibit of grains, shown 
in several state fairs and also in a number of county fairs throughout 
the country. Mr. Michel is a most enterprising, energetic man and 
whatever he undertakes is carried forward to successful completion. He 
was born at Willmar, Minnesota, on the 3d of September, 1873, a son of 
F. A. and Caroline (Schmidt) Michel. The father was a farmer and also 
well known as a musician and band organizer. He has passed away, but 
the mother survives, making her home at Wadena, Minnesota. 

	William F. Michel was educated in the public schools of Appleton, 
Minnesota, his parents having removed to that place during his 
childhood days. Later he was graduated from the Minnesota Institute of 
Pharmacy in 1894, after which he was employed in drug stores in 
different places. He purchased the business of B. F. Filbert at Willow 
Lakes about 1899 and continued to successfully conduct and manage his 
store until 1907, when he sold out and joined N. A. Glasco in 
organizing the firm of Glasco & Michel for the conduct of a real estate 
business. About two years later Mr. Glasco removed to Colorado and 
since the termination of the partnership Mr. Michel has been alone in 
business. He is today one of the foremost real-estate dealers of his 
section of South Dakota. He knows every acre of land for sale, 
appraises it at its real value and has been able to negotiate many 
important realty transfers satisfactory alike to purchaser and seller. 
He not only knows property but he knows also the possibilities, 
resources and opportunities of the county. He does not overestimate or 
place fictitious values or give out unfair reports concerning the 
state, but he knows that South Dakota has almost limitless 
possibilities and has done much toward furthering its interests. 

	It was Mr. Michel who planned and arranged the Clark county 
exhibit which won the first prize at the South Dakota state fair. This 
was a great oval in which specimens of grain grown in his section of 
the state were artistically arranged, and the border of the oval bears 
the words, "One continuous round of prosperity." Mr. Michel furnished 
the grain display at the Chicago Land Show and he supplied all the 
grain for the car that traveled through Iowa and Illinois in 1913, 
exploiting the resources of South Dakota. He traveled with the car, 
giving explanations and answering questions concerning the state, and 
thus it is that the biographer is justified in saying that few men of 
his part of South Dakota have a wider acquaintance than has William F. 
Michel. He also furnished the display for South Dakota at the state 
fairs of Michigan and of Illinois and for various county fairs in 
Illinois, Ohio and Michigan, at which points the bureau of immigration 
of South Dakota advertised. Practically all the grains and grasses 
shown were grown in the vicinity of Willow Lakes and Mr. Michel 
arranged them for exhibition. 

	On the 23d of June, 1903, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. 
Michel and Miss L. Josephine Gorman, a aughter of J. K. Gorman, of 
Castlewood, South Dakota. Mrs. Michel holds membership in the Catholic 
church and Mr. Michel belongs to the Episcopal church. He is also 
identified with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the 
Knights of Pythias. In politics he is a progressive republican, and in 
1914 was elected mayor of the city for a two years, term, so that he is 
the present incumbent in office. He has also filled the position of 
justice of the peace, and was chairman of the county delegation when 
"Sam" Elrod of Clark was first nominated for governor in 1903. When the 
new primary law went into effect he was appointed county proposal 
committeeman and was elected to the same position in 1914, the first 
election under that law. He is a life member of the South Dakota State 
Horticultural Society and there is no one in Clark county who takes a 
deeper interest in furthering the welfare of that section of the state 
or cooperates more heartily in all these movements which promote civic 
virtue and civic pride and which advance the material welfare of county 
and commonwealth.