Roscoe Knodell Biography


	This biography appears on page 1146 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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				ROSCOE KNODELL.  

	The office of states attorney in Tripp county is being acceptably 
filled by Roscoe Knodell of Winner, who is a native of Wayne county, 
Illinois. He was born September 13, 1882, of the marriage of William 
and Christina (Melrose) Knodell. The father, who made farming his life 
work, has now passed away but the mother is still living and makes her 
home in Illinois. He was a soldier of the Union army, enlisting twice 
in defense of the Federal government and serving for four years with 
the boys in blue.  

	Roscoe Knodell pursued his law studies in the Northwestern 
University of Chicago after mastering the common branches of learning 
as a public-school pupil in Illinois. In 1906 he was admitted to 
practice and for a year followed his profession in his native state, 
during which time he was city attorney of Fairfield, Illinois. When he 
retired from that position he sought the opportunities of the northwest 
and became a resident of Fairfax, South Dakota in 1907. He was admitted 
to practice in the courts of this state in 1907 and in 1908 opened an 
office at Lamro, Tripp county, but when the railroad was built through 
the county the town of Lamro was moved and Mr. Knodell located in 
Winner, where he entered upon the active practice of law. It was not 
long before he won a liberal share of the public patronage and in the 
fall of 1914 he was elected states attorney on the republican ticket. 
He is well qualified for the duties of the position, being an able 
young lawyer, his ability being displayed in the masterly manner in 
which he handles his cases.  

	On the 10th of December, 1914, Mr. Knodell was united in marriage 
to Miss Clara Brown, a daughter of O. S. Brown, of Cisne, Illinois. 
Their religious belief is that of the Methodist church, of which they 
are loyal adherents, and Mr. Knodell also belongs to the Masonic lodge, 
to the Woodmen camp and the American Yeomen. He is interested in South 
Dakota's development, is a progressive citizen of Tripp county and is 
highly respected for his sterling qualities of manhood.