William J. Baxter, V. S.


	This biography appears on pages 1065-1066 in "History of Dakota 
	Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. V (1915) and was 
	scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				WILLIAM J. BAXTER, V. S. 

	Dr. William J. Baxter, of Grant county, is a successful 
veterinarian and also owns an excellent farm. He was born in Leeds 
Village, Canada, on the 19th of December, 1855, a son of Hiram and 
Elizabeth (Leadbetter) Baxter. The paternal grandfather was a native of 
Ireland and the maternal grandfather was born in England. Hiram Baxter 
was born in Canada in 1832 and passed away in 1907, while his wife, who 
was born in the Dominion in 1832, died in 1901. Both grew to maturity 
in their native land and were there married. In 1859 they went to 
southern Minnesota, settling upon a farm in Fillmore county, and 
subsequently the father purchased land north of Minneapolis, but in 
1878 the family removed to Grant county, South Dakota, where the father 
took up a homestead. He was successful in his business affairs and was 
one of the wealthy men of his locality. He passed away in Milbank. He 
was a member of the Freewill Baptist church, but his wife was a Seventh 
Day Adventist. To them were born eight children, six of whom are 
living, those besides our subject being: Mrs. William Ede, of Portland, 
Oregon; Mrs. Hester Thorpe, a widow residing in Spearfish, South 
Dakota; Sherman, who is a fireman on the Northern Pacific Railway in 
Canada; Minnie, the wife of H. Schrader, a farmer residing near Erie, 
North Dakota; and Elmer, who is engaged in the mining business in the 
state of Washington. 

	William J. Baxter received his general education in the common 
schools and later attended a college of veterinary surgery. Since 
leaving that institution he has practiced his profession continuously. 
For three years he was located in Minnesota but for the last thirty-
seven years he has resided in this state, as it was in 1878 that he 
entered a preemption claim on the town site of Milbank. He subsequently 
sold that place to a railroad company and then purchased a farm of one 
hundred and fifty-six acres near Milbank, which he rents to others, 
devoting his entire attention to his veterinary practice. He has gained 
an excellent reputation in his profession and has built up a large and 
lucrative practice. 

	In 1885 Dr. Baxter was united in marriage to Miss Mary M. Merritt 
He is a democrat in politics and although he has never desired office 
for himself he has worked effectively for the election of his friends. 
Fraternally he belongs to Sylvan Lodge, No. 54, I. O. O. F., at 
Milbank, in which he has passed through all of the chairs, and he is a 
charter member of Milbank Lodge, No. 143, F. O. E. He is energetic and 
capable and has gained a gratifying measure of success in his chosen 
work.