Walter M. Knowlton Biography


	This biography appears on pages 623-624 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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				WALTER M. KNOWLTON. 

	Walter M. Knowlton is a clothing merchant of Hot Springs and has 
been identified with the business interests of that place for twenty-
three years. Moreover, he is also one of the pioneer residents of the 
Hills, where he arrived in March, 1880, when twenty two years of age. 
He was born in South Stukely, Canada, on the 27th of August, 1857, his 
parents being Luke Holland and Elizabeth (Spinney) Knowlton, who were 
also natives of the Dominion. The father was born at the same place as 
his son Walter and the mother,s birth occurred in Bolton. In early life 
Luke H. Knowlton engaged in merchandising and afterward turned his 
attention to farming. He acted as secretary and treasurer of the 
municipality for between twenty and thirty years and was a prominent 
and influential man of his community. He died in July, 1892, and was 
survived for only a few months by his wife, who passed away in January, 
1893. 

	Walter M. Knowlton was the youngest in a family of eight 
children. He attended school in Canada and came to the Black Hills 
country in 1880, when a young man of twenty-two years. Making his way 
to Deadwood, he became an employee in the Chase Clothing store and 
continued in business connections with Mr. Chase from 1880 until 1913 
and is still in charge of the books of the firm. On the 9th of April, 
1892, he opened a store at Hot Springs for the firm, they having 
previously conducted a store at Buffalo Gap from 1885 until 1892. Since 
the latter date he has remained continuously in Hot Springs and in the 
fall of 1913 he purchased the clothing department from Mr. Chase and 
now conducts the business independently, carrying a full line of 
clothing, shoes, hats and men's furnishings. He handles the goods of 
the leading manufacturers of the country and keeps his stock thoroughly 
up-to-date in style and workmanship, while his reasonable prices and 
thoroughly reliable business methods further commend him to the 
confidence and support of the public. He is also a stockholder and 
director in the Bank of Hot Springs and he OWNS property in the town. 
On the 1st of June, 1898, Mr. Knowlton was united in marriage to Miss 
Rose A. Perkins, who was born in Promise City, Iowa, a daughter of 
Thomas M. and Alice (Ackley) Perkins. Her father, a native of Ohio, 
engaged in the mercantile business in early life and has continued 
along that line to the present, being now a well known merchant of 
Seymour, Iowa. To Mr. and Mrs. Knowlton has been born one child, Myra 
P., who is now a high-school pupil in Hot Springs. 

	Mr. Knowlton holds membership in the Masonic lodge and chapter 
and exemplifies in his life the beneficent spirit and purpose of the 
craft. In politics he is a republican with independent tendencies, nor 
has he ever sought or desired public office. He served for one term as 
a member of the board of education and is interested in all that 
contributes to the, material, intellectual, social, moral and political 
advancement of the community. His influence is always on the side of 
reform, progress and improvement and as a leading and representative 
citizen he occupies a high position in the pub]ic regard.