Dennis J. Delaney Biography


	This biography appears on pages 330-331 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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				DENNIS J. DELANEY. 

	Dennis J. Delaney, the efficient postmaster of Custer, was born 
in Chicago, Illinois, on the 25th of March, 1868, a son of Martin H. 
and Ann (Delaney) Delaney, natives, respectively, of Kings county and 
Queens county, Ireland. They were married at Cincinnati, Ohio, and the 
father followed the carpenter's trade in that city until after the 
Civil war. They then removed to Chicago and he continued to work at his 
trade until after the great fire of 1871. As his health was impaired 
from overwork in the rebuilding of the city he returned to Ireland and 
was living there at the time of his demise, which occurred in 1875. His 
widow survived until 1895. 

	Dennis J. Delaney, the second in a family of three children, 
attended the Sacred Heart school of Chicago and the night school of the 
Bryant & Stratton Business College. When about eleven years old he 
began working for others in Chicago and for one year was with the N. K. 
Fairbank Company, after which he engaged in the printing business as an 
employee of Jamison & Morse, who did book and job work. He was in the 
printing business for about seven years and then became cashier and 
bookkeeper for the Keeley Brewing Company. After ten years spent in 
that capacity he became a traveling salesman for the Charles P. Kellogg 
Company, a clothing house of Chicago, and was later in the employ of 
Crouse & Brandegee. He traveled for about six years and then entered 
the retail clothing business in Rapid City, South Dakota, in connection 
with Lathrop & Reeves. After two years, however, he returned to the 
road and covered a number of the western states, including Montana, 
Idaho and Wyoming as a clothing salesman with headquarters at Chicago. 
On removing to Custer, South Dakota, he was employed as a clerk by a 
Mr. Willis for about six years, or until appointed postmaster. He is a 
courteous and accommodating official, accurate and systematic in 
handling the mails, and his record as a postmaster is a very creditable 
one. He owns business property in Custer and is a substantial resident 
of that city. 

	Mr. Delaney was married, in July, 1911, to Mrs. Frances 
McLaughlin, who was born at Center Point, Iowa, of the marriage of 
James B. and Martha J. Burns. Both her father and mother have passed 
away. Her first husband was T. F. McLaughlin and they were the parents 
of a daughter, Elizabeth B., who makes her home with her mother and 
stepfather. 

	Mr. Delaney is a democrat and has served upon the town board of 
Custer for three years. In 1900 he was nominated upon the democratic 
ticket for county auditor but as Custer county is one of the strongest 
republican counties in the state it was a foregone conclusion that the 
democratic ticket would lose and its candidates were hardly considered 
worth paying any attention to. However, when the votes were counted to 
the surprise of all, Mr. Delaney, the democratic candidate for auditor, 
was defeated by but seventy-three votes, although his opponent was one 
of the strongest republicans in the county, the heavy vote which Mr. 
Delaney polled being a tribute to his personal popularity and the 
confidence that people have in his integrity and ability. In 1913 he 
was appointed postmaster and in the discharge of his duties he has 
earned the commendation of his fellow citizens. His religious faith is 
that of the Roman Catholic church and he can always be counted upon to 
further movements seeking the moral betterment of his community. He is 
a man of great energy and has the vitality and power of endurance of a 
man ten or fifteen years his junior. He has not only prospered in his 
individual affairs but has also been a factor in the advancement of 
Custer and his personality has enabled him to make and retain a host of 
warm friends.