Henry McGrath Biography


	This biography appears on page 1133 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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				HENRY McGRATH.  

	Henry McGrath, a successful ranchman residing at Oacoma, is also 
a factor in public life as incumbent in the office of register of deeds 
of Lyman county. His birth occurred in Liverpool, England, on the 31st 
of October, 1882, his parents being Henry and Rosa (Burns) McGrath, 
both natives of Ireland. For many years the father has been engaged in 
shipbuilding.  

	Henry McGrath, the eldest in a family of eight children, was 
seven years of age when sent to Ballygowan, County Down, Ireland, and 
there attended the public schools until entering Maynooth Seminary, 
from which institution he was graduated in 1901. It had been his 
parents, wish that he study for the priesthood, but he felt better 
qualified for a business career and accordingly, in 1902, sailed for 
the United States and came direct to South Dakota, having an uncle in 
this state. Locating in western Lyman county, he there took up land and 
embarked in the business of horse raising, in which he is still largely 
interested and in which he has met with unqualified success, now 
operating a ranch of ten hundred and twenty acres.  

	In politics Mr. McGrath is a stanch republican and he has ably 
served on various township boards. In 1910 he was chosen register of 
deeds of Lyman county and made such a creditable record that he was 
reelected in 1912, so that he is still serving in the office. In 1914 
be was elected to the lower house of the state legislature and during 
the session of 1915 took an active part in transacting the business 
coming before that body. Fraternally he is identified with the 
Independent Order of Odd Fellows and acts as secretary of Oacoma Lodge, 
No. 164. Coming to this country without capital, but with good health 
and a determination to succeed, Mr. McGrath has made an enviable record 
both as a business man and public official. He is fond of outdoor 
sports and played on the class football team during his college days. 
In business and public life he has already won a position that many a 
man of twice his years might well envy and in social circles he is 
popular and esteemed.