Willis Talbott McConnell Biography This biography appears on pages 960, 963 in "History of Dakota Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. V (1915) and was scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net. This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. This file is part of the SDGENWEB Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://usgwarchives.org/sd/sdfiles.htm WILLIS TALBOTT McCONNELL. Willis Talbott McConnell, president of the First National Bank of Wessington Springs and well known as an able and resourceful banker and financier, was born at Geneseo, Henry county, Illinois, September 13, 1866. His father Joseph A. McConnell, born April 26, 1824, was a native of Belmont county, Ohio, and a son of Robert and Rebecca (Talbott) McConnell and a grandson of James and Jennie (Cunningham) McConnell. Robert McConnell was born in 1790 and his wife in 1796, and they passed away in 1878 and 1891 respectively. Joseph A. McConnell moved with his parents when about nine years of age to Morgan county, Ohio, the family settling near McConnellsville, which city was founded by members of the family, There he resided until 1854, when he moved from Ohio to Illinois, where he engaged in teaching for a time and later turned his attention to the wholesale harness and saddlery business at Rock Island. He afterward removed to Geneseo, Illinois, where he had milling, mercantile and various other interests, remaining a valued resident of that place for a quarter of a century. He then removed to Guthrie County, Iowa, where he had previously purchased several hundred acres of land, which he developed into one of the finest farm properties, becoming one of the foremost agriculturists of Iowa. His place is still known as McConnell's farm and his activities set the standard for agricultural development among his neighbors. He died in Des Moines, Iowa, October 10, 1899, when in the seventy-fifth year of his age. Joseph A. McConnell married Sarah, a daughter of Absalom and Nancy Fouts, on the 4th day of May, 1854, at the Fouts homestead near McConnellsville, Ohio. She survives and now makes her home in Wessington Springs. They were the parents of nine children: Ella, who was born in 1865 and died the following year; Millard, who was born in 1857 and died in 1859; Robert A., who was born in 1860 and died two years later; Edmund, who was born in 1862 and died in 1888; William Grant, who was born 1864 and passed away in 1865; Nellie H. and Willis T., twins, born in 1866; Arthur R., born in 1871; and Ina Belle, who was born in 1873 and is the wife of William T. George, who is associated with W. T. McConnell, being cashier of the First National Bank of Wessington Springs. The daughter Nellie became the wife of Emmor B. Maris, who was connected with the establishment of the First National Bank of Wessington Springs, of which he was the first cashier, and is still one of the directors. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Maris are: Willis Leslie, who died at the age of thirteen months; Cecil W.; Laura Belle; and George Joseph. Willis T. McConnell was educated in the common schools of Guthrie county and the high school of Panora, Iowa, and in Simpson College at Indianola. After leaving school he engaged in the grain business at Bayard and also operated elevators in neighboring towns for three years. During the succeeding year he was connected with a Milwaukee grain commission company and then removed to Omaha, Nebraska, where he became identified with the oil business as president of the American Lubricator Company, developing that industry into One of recognized importance, with traveling representatives in thirteen states. The company's headquarters were removed to Des Moines, Iowa, in 1898 and the properties of the Rockford Lubricating Company of Rockford, Illinois, were absorbed, as were the properties of the Standard Tinware Company of Omaha, the latter corporation being merged with the American Can Company in 1901. In the same year Mr. McConnell came to Wessington Springs, where he had numerous investments, and shortly afterward he organized the First National Bank, of which he became the president, still retaining that position. This is the largest and is the only national bank in Jerauld county. From 1909 until 1912 he was cashier of the Western National Bank of Mitchell, of which he remains a stockholder and director, and he is also a director of the Woonsocket State Bank and president of the Bank of Alpena, the Virgil State Bank, the Draper State Bank and the First State Bank of Murdo. He is also a director of the Fidelity Life Insurance Company of Iowa. His financial interests are thus large and important, bringing him into active connection with many of the leading banking enterprises of his part of the state. Moreover, he is interested in many other local business concerns, including the Standard Mercantile Company, one of the largest hardware and machinery houses in central South Dakota. He has extensive land interests having holdings in six or seven counties, and he is also extensively engaged in stock-raising and in farm development work along the latest approved modern methods. He stands for all that is progressive in connection with the agricultural development of South Dakota and his labors have set a standard which many others have followed. On the 25th of September, 1890, Mr. McConnell was united in marriage to Miss Alice M. Dillenbeck, who died in November, 1899, a daughter of Willard and Mary (Gee) Dillenbeck. Her parents were natives of Illinois, living in Geneseo, where the father engaged in business as a grain dealer and also had valuable land holdings in northwestern Iowa and Minnesota. He and his family were quite prominent in their town; both he and his wife have now passed away. On the 14th of February, 1901, Mr. McConnell wedded Anna Laura Miller, a daughter of Washington and Laura J. (Close) Miller, of Central City, Nebraska, and later of Norwalk, Iowa. Mrs. McConnell is a talented musician, receiving her musical education at Oberlin College at Oberlin, Ohio. She is now a recognized leader in the city's musical and literary circles. By her marriage she has become the mother of four children: Willis T., Jr., Nellie Lucille, Paul Fouts and Florence Laura Mr. McConnell turns for recreation to motoring and driving. He always keeps some highbred horses and his interests outside of his banking business are in blooded stock and scientific farming. His political endorsement is given to the republican party and in Masonry he has attained the thirty-second degree in the Scottish Rite, the Knight Templar degree of the York Rite and is also a member of the Mystic Shrine. He likewise belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church, in which he is serving as a trustee and to which he makes liberal contribution for its support. He also takes an especially active interest in the work of the Young Men's Christian Association, heartily endorsing this organized movement to aid in the physical, mental and moral development of young men. His success has its foundation in integrity, industry, close application and the faculty for concentrating his efforts upon the specific work in hand. He has, moreover, an unusual capacity for selecting business associates and assistants who prove not only capable in the discharge of their duties but most loyal. His interests, however, have not been so centered upon business as to exclude his interest in the other affairs of life and he possesses, moreover, decided literary taste, having a well selected library of standard authors and all that is best in current literature. With both he is familiar and no subject of general interest is broached upon which he cannot express an intelligent opinion, indicating his broad reading.