B. S. Summerwill Biography


	This biography appears on pages 622-623 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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				B. S. SUMMERWILL. 

	B. S. Summerwill, although one of the younger business men of 
Canton, is one of the most prosperous. He is a lumber merchant and is 
thoroughly awake to the changes in conditions which have occurred in 
the last few years and which demand new methods on the part of the man 
who is conducting a business enterprise. His progressiveness and his 
ability to adapt himself to these changed conditions are the salient 
factors in his success. He was born near Sioux City, Iowa, on the 17th 
of March, 1886, a son of W. J. and Florence (Slemmons) Summerwill, 
natives of England and of Ohio respectively. His father died when he 
was eleven years of age and his mother survived but four years, so that 
he was thrown upon his own resources when only a lad in his teens He 
secured a good education, however, attending Shattuck Military Academy, 
and upon finishing school identified himself with the lumber business, 
beginning as yardman. In 1905, when but nineteen years of age, he 
purchased a small yard at Brunswick, Nebraska, and was subsequently in 
the lumber business in Sioux City, Iowa. In 1909 he located in South 
Dakota and bought the nucleus of the large business which he now 
controls and which is one of the most important of its kind in the 
southeastern part of the state He understands thoroughly the details as 
well as the broader phases of the trade and is systematic in his 
methods, all of which make it but natural that his business should grow 
and prosper. He recognizes the feet that cooperation is the keynote of 
modern commercial life and he is one of the most active members of the 
Canton Commercial Club, serving as president thereof for two years He 
is also president of the Canton Racing Association 

	Mr. Summerwill was married in 1907 to Miss Edna Wengert, a 
daughter of H. G. and Anna (Johnson) Wengert, of Mapleton, Iowa. To Mr. 
and Mrs. Summerwill have been born two children, William and Edna, who 
represent the fourth generation, as not only the grandparents on the 
mother's side, but also the great-grandparents are still living and 
enjoying excellent health. The father is a republican in his political 
allegiance and staunchly supports that party at the polls. Fraternally 
he is a member of Silver Star Lodge, No. 4, A. F. & A. M., of Canton, 
and of both the Commandery and Shrine of Sioux City, Iowa. He also 
belongs to the Athenaeum Debating Society. He finds physical recreation 
in hunting and motoring, is an enthusiastic sportsman and has an 
exceptionally fine collection of guns, while his interest in motoring 
has led him to take an active part in the good-roads movement in the 
state. The feet that he has attained his present success through his 
own labors without the aid of influential friends is a matter of 
justifiable pride and is proof of his ability and aggressiveness.