John Benjamin Mayo Biography


	This biography appears on pages 40-43 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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				JOHN BENJAMIN MAYO

	The city of Lead is justly proud of its efficient fire 
department, which ranks among the best in the state, and its excellence 
is due in a large measure to the unceasing vigilance and the marked 
ability of the fire chief, John Benjamin Mayo. He was born in 
Greenville, Illinois, on the 17th of October, 1877, a son of Alonzo J. 
and Phoebe (Hoover) Mayo. The father was born near Greenville upon a 
farm that his father entered from the government. The latter was Thomas 
J. Mayo, a native of Boston, Massachusetts. The great-grandfather of 
the subject of this review was born in Ireland and came with two 
brothers to this country. He settled in Massachusetts but his brothers 
located in Virginia. Alonzo J. Mayo, who was a civil engineer, removed 
to Columbia, Tennessee, in 1881, and in 1888 went to Nevada, Missouri, 
where he remained for four years, after which he became a resident of 
Chicago, where he still resides. 

	John Benjamin Mayo was educated in the public schools of Nevada, 
Missouri, and Chicago, Illinois, and was graduated from the West 
Division high school in Chicago about 1894. He was employed at various 
occupations in that city until November 26, 1900, when he removed to 
Lead and became connected with the liquor business. He subsequently was 
a member of the firm of Kelly & Mayo, wholesale and retail dealers in 
liquor, and after disposing of his interest in this, was appointed 
chief of the fire department of Lead in 1914. During the years 1905, 
1906 and 1907 he had served as chief of the volunteer fire department 
of the city, which was very efficient and had four hundred men on its 
rolls. Since assuming charge of the reorganized fire department Mr. 
Mayo has made it one of the best in the state of South Dakota and the 
citizens of Lead are assured of adequate protection from fire. He has 
been a member of the National Firemen's Association for a number of 
years and is also a member of the International Association of Fire 
Engineers. 

	In 1911 Mr. Mayo married Miss Genevieve Murry, of Sioux Falls, a 
daughter of John Murry, a pioneer of this state. Mr. Mayo is a 
republican, as was his father and grandfather before him. In 1909 and 
1910 he ably represented the fifth ward in the city council. He belongs 
to a number of fraternal organizations and secret societies, in many of 
which he has held office. His time and thought are almost wholly given 
to the work of the fire department, in which he takes great pride, and 
he is a constant reader and student, especially along the lines of 
prevention and control, seeking always to increase the efficiency of 
his department, His devotion to duty has won him the esteem of his 
fellow citizens, who recognize the value of his services.