Mathew F. Cummins Biography


	This biography appears on pages 455-456 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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				MATHEW F. CUMMINS. 

	Mathew F. Cummins is the postmaster of Wilmot and a well known 
and enterprising merchant of the town, in which he conducts a furniture 
and undertaking business. He was born in Ozaukee county, Wisconsin, 
March 5, 1858, a son of Patrick and Catherine (Smith) Cummins, both of 
whom were natives of Ireland. They came, however, to America in early 
life and were married in Wisconsin. The father was educated in Ireland, 
but was still a boy when he crossed the Atlantic, and in Wisconsin he 
followed the occupation of farming until he met an accidental death 
when but forty-four years of age. Both he and his wife were members of 
the Catholic church. In their family were seven children, four of whom 
are yet living: Edward, a farmer residing at Redwood Falls, Minnesota; 
Mathew F.; Thomas P., who follows farming in North Dakota; and Mrs. 
Catherine McCormick. 

	Mathew F. Cummins was educated in the common schools but his 
educational advantages were very few, for he lost his father when quite 
young and the family was left with no patrimony. He was first employed 
in a barber shop and worked along that line for eight years and he 
afterward spent a similar period in connection with the drug and 
grocery business. In 1879 he came to Dakota territory. He carefully 
saved his earnings until industry and economy brought him sufficient 
capital to enable him to engage in business on his own account and 
eighteen years ago established a furniture store, which he still 
conducts, being today one of the oldest merchants in years of 
continuous connection with the business life of Wilmot. He carries a 
well selected line of furniture of various grades in order to meet the 
varied tastes and wishes of the public and is accorded a good 
patronage. In connection with his furniture trade he conducts an 
undertaking business. He served as postmaster of Wilmot during the two 
administrations of President Cleveland and was again appointed on the 
5th of April, 1914, by President Wilson. 

	In 1885 Mr. Cummins was married to Miss Cora M. Bingham, a native 
of Minnesota and a daughter of I. Bingham, who was an early settler of 
that state, where he carried on blacksmithing. There are three children 
in the Cummins family. Francis, who is a graduate of the high school at 
Wilmot and of the State Normal School at Aberdeen, will teach in Nevada 
in the year 1915-16. Wilfred, nineteen years of age, has graduated from 
the high school and is now assisting his father in the store. Delbert, 
the youngest, is attending the public schools. 

	Mr. and Mrs. Cummins are members of the Catholic church and he 
belongs to the Knights of Columbus. In politics he has always been an 
active democrat, doing everything in his power to secure the success of 
his party, and during the last fifteen years he has served as secretary 
of the State Board of Embalmers. In his business career Mr. Cummins has 
met with gratifying and well merited success. He made his start 
absolutely empty handed but he early realized that industry is the 
basis of all honorable success and he has been a hard worker winning 
his prosperity through untiring efforts.