William F. Hanley Biography


	This biography appears on pages 811-812 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 F. HANLEY. 

	William F. Hanley, who is meeting with gratifying success as a 
general merchant in Custer, South Dakota, was born in Petersburg, 
Illinois, on the 14th of February, 1862, a son of William and Margaret 
(Kern) Hanley, both natives of Ireland, the former born in County 
Roscommon and the latter in County Mayo. They were married, however, in 
America and after residing in Pennsylvania for some time removed to 
Illinois, the father purchasing land near Springfield, that state, in 
1867. In 1880 a removal was made to the vicinity of Atkinson Holt 
county, Nebraska, and there the father cultivated land until 1898, when 
he and his family took up their abode near Fort Dodge, Iowa. He died 
there in 1912 and the mother a year later. He was active in the 
democratic party and held a number of local offices. 

	William F. Hanley, who is the third in a family of seven 
children, attended school near Decatur, Illinois, and remained at home 
until he was nineteen years of age. He then found employment on a 
cattle ranch in Holt county, Nebraska, and after spending three months 
there was made manager of the ranch. Four and a half years later he 
went to Neligh, Nebraska, where he took charge of a packing plant, and 
remained there for about six months. At the end of that time he went to 
Chadron, Nebraska, where- he assumed the management of a general 
mercantile establishment, both wholesale and retail. After two years' 
experience in that connection he went to Douglas, Wyoming, where he 
opened a meat market, furnishing meat under contract to Mr. Treat, who 
was the contractor building the Northwestern Railroad in that section 
of the country. On returning to Chadron Mr. Hanley engaged in the 
chattel and farm loan business for about three years and during that 
time was also examiner for the Farmers Loan & Trust Company of Chicago. 
In 1890 he arrived in Custer, South Dakota, and established a grocery 
store under the firm name of Hanley & Bailey. Three months later, 
however, he accepted the cashier ship of the First National Bank and 
not long afterward sold out his mercantile interests. For fifteen years 
he was cashier and in that capacity directed to a large extent the work 
of the bank and assumed the responsibility for its management. In the 
meantime he became president of the M. J. Bailey Company and after it 
went out of business Mr. Hanley took over its mercantile department and 
has since been proprietor of a well stocked general store. He buys his 
goods with special reference to the needs of his customers and as he is 
content with a reasonable profit his sales are growing from year to 
year. While in the bank he conducted a sheep ranch twenty five miles 
from Custer but has now disposed of that property. He is at present a 
director and stockholder in the First National Bank and also owns 
considerable farm land and city property in South Dakota. In early 
manhood he was connected with a number of other business enterprises 
but has now disposed of those interests and gives the closest attention 
to the conduct of his store. 

	Mr. Hanley was married on the 14th of August, 1895, to Miss Addie 
F. Robinson, who was born in Wilmington, Illinois, and is a daughter of 
Thomas and Margaret (Crawford) Robinson, natives of Ireland and 
Scotland respectively. The father, who was a carpenter and building 
contractor, resided in Illinois for many years but in 1885 removed with 
his family to Rapid City, South Dakota, where he was living retired at 
the time of his demise. His widow survived him for many years but she, 
too, has gone to her reward, her death occurring in 1912. Mr. and Mrs. 
Hanley have four children: Harold R., a graduate of the Custer high 
school, who is attending the Wesleyan University at Lincoln, Nebraska, 
and is employed in the First National Bank during his vacations; Doris, 
who is attending the South Dakota State Normal School at Spearfish; 
Francis L., a student in the high school; and Donald. 

	Mr. Hanley is a republican and in 1905 had the honor of serving 
in the state senate. He proved foresighted and progressive, and his 
record as a lawmaker is a distinctly creditable one. For one term he 
was also a member of the state board of regents and he has held a 
number of local offices, being chairman of the town board for a number 
of years and baying also served on the board of education. He is an 
enthusiastic Mason and is well known in that order, belonging to the 
blue lodge, chapter, commandery and Shrine and having served as master 
of his lodge. He is a man of well rounded character, giving due 
attention to business and yet not allowing it to crowd out other phases 
of life, and in public affairs and In fraternal and social relations he 
has become well and favorably known.