John P. Croal Biography


	This biography appears on pages 761-762 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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				JOHN P. CROAL. 

	John P. Croal is postmaster of Sisseton and the editor of the 
Courant, the leading paper of Roberts county. His birth occurred near 
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, May 29, 1860, and his parents were Andrew and 
Anna (Gormanly) Croal, both natives of Ireland, the former born in 1820 
and the latter in 1835. They emigrated to the United States with their 
respective parents, both families settling in Connecticut, where Mr. 
and Mrs. Andrew Croal grew to maturity. Their marriage, however, 
occurred in Milwaukee in 1857. The father located in that city in 1859 
or 1860 and fired the first engine in the shops of the Chicago, 
Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad there. He was for nineteen years a 
sergeant on the Milwaukee police force and made an enviable record for 
efficient and conscientious performance of duty. In 1880 he went to 
Grant county, South Dakota, and filed on a claim. The following year he 
was joined by his family and he continued to reside there and in 
Milbank until his demise, which occurred at the latter place in 1903. 
He had survived his wife for twenty-two years, as she died in 1881. He 
was a communicant of the Roman Catholic church. His father, John Croal, 
passed away in Milwaukee at the advanced age of ninety-one years. 

	Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Croal were the parents of eleven children, 
eight of whom are still living, as follows: Mrs. Kate Eastman, living 
in Seattle, is the widow of O. N. Eastman, who was traveling auditor 
for the Empire Elevator Company at the time of his demise. John P. is 
the next in order of birth. James, who resides at Fargo, is a conductor 
on the Northern Pacific Railroad, with which he has been connected 
since 1886. Mary is the wife of L. M. Kaercher, the proprietor of the 
Whetstone Milling Company at Milbank. He is quite well known in 
political circles and in 1890 was a member of the state legislature. 
Theresa gave her hand in marriage to W. W. Wilson, of Milbank, who for 
thirteen years has served as janitor of the public schools. Francis A. 
has for seventeen years been buyer and hater auditor for the Empire 
Elevator Company with residence at Milbank. Anna is the wife of Dr. 
Thomas Hicks, of Milbank, who for several years has been state 
veterinarian. Thomas, a resident of Las Vegas, New Mexico, is a 
conductor on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad. 

	John P. Croal received his education in Milwaukee graduating from 
high school in 1876. He learned the printer's trade in that city and 
later became foreman and make-up on the Christian Statesman. In 1881 he 
removed to Milbank, South Dakota, and subsequently entered the employ 
of W. M. Downie at Big Stone City, the owner of the Herald. Mr. Croal 
worked on that paper for some time but the following fall began 
teaching school. He received the first teacher's certificate issued in 
Milbank, Grant county, and in the summer helped build the first 
schoolhouse in Geneseo township, in which he taught in the fall. 
Jeremiah George was at that time county superintendent of schools. 
Subsequently Mr. Croal followed the profession of teaching in Day 
county and at the same time filed on a claim in that county. In 1899 he 
located in Sisseton, moving the Courant which he started in 1893, there 
from Wilmot, and which he has since owned and edited. The paper has a 
circulation of twelve hundred and is recognized as a valuable 
advertising medium by the local businessmen. The printing plant is 
housed in its own building which Mr. Croal purchased a number of years 
ago. The shop is well equipped and in addition to printing the Courant 
does considerable job work. Mr. Croal is a member of the State Press 
Association and has attended all of the conventions of that body for 
the past fifteen years. He takes an active part in the work of the 
association and is held in high esteem in journalistic circles of South 
Dakota. The Courant is democratic in politics and has done much to 
secure the success of that party. 

	r. Croal was married in Day county in 1888 to Miss Mary Prunty, a 
daughter of P. H. Prunty, of Appleton, Wisconsin. She was educated in 
the Appleton high school and was engaged in teaching in Day county when 
she made the acquaintance of Mr. Croal. To their union have been born 
three children. Elizabeth is a graduate of the Sisseton high school, 
also took a course at the Aberdeen State Normal School and attended the 
State University of South Dakota at Vermillion for two years. She 
taught for three years in the primary department of the Sisseton 
schools and for the past three years has taught in Montana. Clinton 
graduated from the Sisseton high school and subsequently took a law 
course in the State University at Vermillion, from which he was 
graduated in 1911 with the degree of LL. B. He was admitted to the bar 
when only nineteen and a half years old and is now connected with 
Porter & Grantham, general solicitors for North and South Dakota for 
the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad. Vincent C., the youngest of 
the children, is in school. 

	Mr. Croal is a communicant of the Roman Catholic church and 
fraternally is connected with the Knights of Columbus, the Improved 
Order of Red Men, the Woodmen and the Fraternal Order of Eagles, in all 
of which he has passed through all of the chairs. For three terms he 
was worthy president of the Eagles. He is a leader in local democratic 
circles, is its state central committeeman and has held a number of 
offices. For six years he has been president of the board of education, 
has been school clerk, and for two years held the office of city 
justice. For eight years he was United States commissioner but resigned 
that office to become postmaster of Sisseton, which position he has 
held since the 1st of May, 1915. In all of his official connections he 
has proved efficient and conscientious and has thus added to the high 
esteem in which he is generally held. He has carried to successful 
completion all that he has undertaken and is recognized as a man of 
energy, determination and ability.