Walter B. Saunders Biography


	This biography appears on pages 528-531 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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				WALTER B. SAUNDERS. 

	Walter B. Saunders was well known in Milbank as a foremost 
citizen to whose enterprise and public spirit the substantial growth 
and development of the community were largely due. It was not only his 
activity in the field of banking that gave him preeminence among his 
fellow townsmen, but a kindly spirit, a helping hand and a generous 
readiness to assist others. His personal traits and characteristics 
were such as endeared him to all with whom he came in contact and make 
his memory a more cherished possession than any material gift could be. 
He was born in Cattaraugus county, New York, May 13, 1859, and was one 
of the two children of Nelson and Maria (McCoy) Saunders, who were also 
natives of that state. The father was a distinguished physician and 
surgeon of western New York for many years and he passed away in 1896, 
having for more than two decades survived his wife, who died in 1875. 
The daughter, Grace, became the wife of A. D. Hapgood and died in 1885, 
leaving two children, Karl and Chester. 

	Walter B. Saunders was reared in his native state and 
supplemented his public-school education by study in the Chamberlain 
Institute at Randolph, New York, from which he was graduated with the 
class of 1876. He began business life as a clerk in a bank at Randolph 
and soon afterward was made assistant cashier, there remaining until 
1882. In July of that year he made his way to Milbank, South Dakota, 
and in partnership with A. C. Dodge established a private bank of which 
he became the cashier and so continued until his death, acting all the 
time as resident manager of the institution. In 1891 the bank was 
reorganized as a state bank and has existed as such since that date. 
Throughout his entire business career Mr. Saunders was connected with 
banking and had intimate knowledge of the great financial problems and 
of everything bearing directly upon his chosen line of business. In 
addition to his interest in the bank he was the owner of a large amount 
of real estate, having made extensive investments in property, and he 
was also the owner of much live stock in Grant county, making a 
specialty of the handling of Durham cattle. He likewise owned property 
in New York and in all of his business affairs his judgment was sound 
and his sagacity was manifest in the success which attended his 
efforts. 

	On the 25th of May, 1884, Mr. Saunders was united in marriage to 
Miss Kate Crowley, a native of New York and a daughter of Addison 
Crowley, who v as a pioneer citizen and for many years a leading 
business man of Cattaraugus county. He dealt in lumber and real estate 
and also engaged in merchandising for a number of years. He likewise 
served as county sheriff for one term and took a most active and 
helpful part in the public life of the community. To Mr. and Mrs. 
Saunders were born four children: Phil C., Corinne, Lewis and Earl M. 

	The parents were members of the Episcopal church and Mr. Saunders 
continued a faithful adherent thereof to the time of his death. From 
his arrival in Milbank he was actively interested in the public welfare 
and his labors were oft times an effective element in advancing the 
general good. He ever stood for those things which are a matter of 
civic virtue and of civic pride. He served for four years as mayor and 
for thirteen years as a member of the city council and always exercised 
his official prerogatives on the side of advancement and improvement. 
He was made one of the three South Dakota commissioners to the 
Louisiana Purchase Exposition and acted as treasurer of the commission. 
So thoroughly and conscientiously were his duties performed that at the 
close of the exposition, instead of there being a deficiency in the 
public accounts, he was able to turn back into the state treasury over 
one thousand dollars. 

	One of the local papers said of him: "Mr. Saunders during his 
whole life in this city was known as a man of the strictest business 
integrity. His yea was yea, and his nay was a nay, and he enjoyed to 
the fullest the confidence and respect of all his fellow citizens.  

	While conservative and careful in all business matters, he was 
nevertheless public-spirited and progressive in all that tended to the 
advancement of the community, and his many kindly acts of individual 
benevolence are treasured by numbers who were the recipients of his 
bounty and helpfulness." 

	Mr. Saunders was a prominent Knight Templar Mason and when he 
passed away was laid to rest with Masonry honor's. He had truly 
exemplified in his life the beneficent spirit of the craft. He 
recognized the brotherhood of mankind and was constantly extending a 
helping hand to assist others on life's journey who were less 
fortunate. The board of directors of the Merchants Bank at the time of 
his death prepared a resolution in which it was said: "His devoted 
attention to the duties of his office, his strict integrity, his 
honorable business methods, his upright character as a man and a 
citizen of this community, have done more to make this banking 
institution safe and sound in a financial way, and to make it one that 
the people of this community had confidence in, than any other one 
connected with its management. The association of the board of 
directors with Mr. Saunders has been most pleasant and agreeable, and 
wee feel that his untimely death has left vacant a place which cannot 
be filled by any other person with the same degree of efficiency and 
success."

	Mr. Saunders died on the 9th of May, 1906. Since then the 
Merchants Bank has been converted into the Merchants National Bank, 
with the son, Phil C. Saunders, as its vice president. He was educated 
in the schools of Milbank and soon after his textbooks were put aside 
he entered the bank in which he has worked upward to the position of 
vice president, acting in that capacity since 1908. He is one of 
Milbank's native sons, his birth having there occurred October 18, 
1885. He is very prominent in Masonry and was made master of Milbank 
Lodge, No. 20, at the early age of twenty-four years, serving in that 
capacity two terms. He is also a Royal Arch Mason and has served for 
six years as king of the chapter. He likewise belongs to the knight 
Templar commandery and the Mystic Shrine. He is identified with various 
business concerns of Milbank, is interested in a lumberyard, is the 
owner of considerable town property and has large farming interests. He 
is also one of the leaders in the Commercial Club and there is no phase 
of public life demanding recognition and support to which he does not 
give immediate and generous aid. He is following the example of his 
honored father and the life work of both has been such as to commend 
them to the highest respect and goodwill of all who have known them.