William Curtis Biography


	This biography appears on pages 449 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 CURTIS. 

	William Curtis, the ex-county commissioner of Lake county and a 
retired farmer now making his home in Madison, was born in Toronto, 
Canada, on the 22d of February, 1850, and is a son of Thomas and Mary 
Ann Curtis, both of whom are deceased. The father followed the 
occupation of farming and thus provided for his family. 

	William Curtis attended the public schools from seven to nine 
years of age only and afterward assisted his father upon the home farm 
to the age of fifteen years, when he left home and began earning his 
own living, working at various places in Canada. He eventually arrived 
in South Dakota, reaching Lake county on the 10th of October, 1879, 
after which he homesteaded the southeast quarter of section l, township 
106, range 52. He afterward purchased more land until he was the owner 
of two hundred and fifty-seven acres, and for thirty years he carried 
on general farming. Not a furrow had been turned nor an improvement 
made upon the place when it came into his possession, but with 
characteristic energy he began its development and brought the fields 
under a high state of cultivation. He added many modern improvements in 
the way of good buildings and farm machinery and at all times he 
followed progressive methods in tilling the soil and caring for his 
crops At the time of his arrival in this state there were no railroads 
in his locality and he experienced many of the hardships and 
difficulties of pioneer life. For four years the only fuel which he 
could obtain was twisted hay. 

	On the 11th of November, 1876, Mr. Curtis was united in marriage 
to Miss Mary I. Thomas, a daughter of Reuben Thomas, of Canada, and 
they now have one son, Harry, a druggist residing in Redfield, who is 
married and has three children. 

	Mr. Curtis holds membership in the Baptist church and is 
interested in its growth and welfare. He belongs to the Masonic 
fraternity, having attained the Knight Templar degree in the commandery 
at Madison, while of the Mystic Shrine of Sioux Falls he is a member. 
He has served as worthy master of the blue lodge, is past eminent 
commander of the commandery and is now high priest of the chapter. He 
also has membership in Madison Lodge, No. 20, I. O. O. F. His political 
allegiance is given to the republican party and at different times he 
has held township offices, the duties of which he has discharged with 
such promptness and capability that his service recommended him for the 
office of county commissioner, to which he was elected in 1910, 
assuming the duties of that position the following year. For four years 
he was an active working member of the county board and his service was 
a benefit in various ways. He is now living retired from business, 
having in the thirty years of his close connection with agricultural 
interests in Lake county won a competence that now enables him to rest 
from further labor and enjoy the fruits of his former toil.