William G. Waddel Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1090-1091 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 G. WADDEL. 

	William G. Waddel, a well known member of the Day county bar and 
now filling the office of states attorney at Webster, was born in Grant 
county, Wisconsin, June 29, 1870, and is descended from Scotch ancestry 
that was early established on American soil. His ancestors went into 
Kentucky with Daniel Boone and aided in colonizing the "dark and bloody 
ground." William Waddel, the grandfather of William G. Waddel, was born 
in Ohio and at an early day removed to Wisconsin, where he followed the 
occupation of farming and spent the remainder of his life. His son, W. 
W. Waddel, was born in Wisconsin in 1842, was reared to farm work and 
also learned and followed the carpenter's trade for a time. He also 
worked in the lead mines of Wisconsin prior to the Civil war. He 
married Elizabeth Garner, who was born in the Badger state in 1849, a 
daughter of Daywald Garner, a native of Pennsylvania. who removed to 
Wisconsin in 1851 and there resided until called to his final rest. Mr. 
and Mrs. W. W. Waddel continued to make their home in that state until 
1874, when they removed to Iowa. They became the parents of eight 
children, seven of whom survive: William G.; Thomas Warren, now living 
upon a farm in Iowa; Arthur, a resident farmer of Day county; Reuben, 
who follows farming in tile same county; Nellie, the wife of Myron 
Kanago, who lives upon a farm in Day county; and Fred and Edward both 
of whom are farming in Day county. The father was a successful man, 
carefully directing his business affairs and improving his 
opportunities until he was the possessor of a handsome competence, 
being financially well off at the time of his death, which occurred in 
November, 1912. His widow survives. He attended the Methodist Episcopal 
church and in his political belief was a republican. 

	William G. Waddel was but four years of age when his parents left 
Wisconsin for Iowa and in the public schools of the latter state he 
pursued his preliminary education. He was afterward graduated from the 
College of Law of the State University of South Dakota with the class 
of 1904 and entered upon the active practice of his chosen profession 
at Webster, this state, in connection with E. L. Sheldon, who was the 
first law student enrolled in the State University, while Mr. Waddel 
was the second. Their partnership was continued for two years and at 
the present time Mr. Waddel is a partner of Frank Anderson, their legal 
business being conducted under the firm style of Anderson & Waddel. He 
has secured a liberal clientage and his practice has been of an 
important character. He has proven himself able to cope with involved 
legal problems and to find for them a correct solution and it is well 
known that he is most careful and painstaking in the preparation of his 
cases. 

	In 1900 Mr. Waddel was united in marriage to Miss Eliza M. Otis, 
who was born in Union county, South Dakota, a daughter of John J. Otis, 
who was a miller and millwright and built some of the first mills in 
South Dakota, having removed to this state, then a territory, in 1877. 
To Mr. and Mrs. Waddel have been born four children: Sterling, twelve 
years of age, the first son born to any law graduate of the State 
University; Garner, aged ten; Kenneth, seven; and Harold, five years of 
age. 

	The family attend the Methodist Episcopal church and Mr. Waddel 
belongs to the Knights of Pythias fraternity. His political endorsement 
is given to the republican party and upon that ticket he was elected to 
the office of states attorney in 1912 and again in 1914. His entire 
attention is given to the duties of his position and to his private law 
practice. He also has farming interests in Day county, owning a good 
tract of land. His has been an active life crowned with a gratifying 
measure of success that is the fitting reward of his intelligently 
applied effort and his close adherence to the high ideals of the 
profession.