Tom C. McNamee Biography


	This biography appears on pages 498-499 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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				TOM C. McNAMEE. 

	Tom C. McNamee, who is serving his second term as states attorney 
of Hughes county, was born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, February 11, 
1879, and is a son of John and Mary (Garvey) McNamee, natives 
respectively of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and of Williamsport, that 
state. For some time the family resided in St. Paul, Minnesota, where 
the father engaged in the live-stock commission business, but about 
1878 a removal was made to Sioux Falls. The demise of the mother 
occurred in 1897. 

	In 1898 Tom C. McNamee removed to Brookings, South Dakota and 
entered the State Agricultural College, where he took special work in 
preparation for a legal course. In the meantime he worked during his 
spare hours, thus securing money to pay his expenses. In 1900 he 
located in Pierre and in the early part of 1901 he was appointed deputy 
clerk of the South Dakota supreme court, which office he filled until 
the fall of 1902. He then went to Sioux Falls and became deputy United 
States marshal under E. G. Kennedy. After serving for one year in that 
capacity he resigned to accept a position as secretary to Senator 
Kittredge. He remained in Washington from 1903 until 1906 and while 
serving as secretary to the senator studied law in the George 
Washington University, from which he was graduated with the degree of 
LL. B. in 1906. Immediately upon his graduation he resigned his 
position and returned to Pierre, South Dakota, where he was admitted to 
the practice of law and opened an office. In 1911 he was appointed 
referee in bankruptcy for the central division of the state, a federal 
appointment which he resigned in 1913 to assume the duties of the 
office of states attorney of Hughes county, to which he had been 
elected in November, 1912. In November, 1914, he was reelected and is 
now serving his second term as states attorney in a very capable and 
acceptable manner. He is also serving as local attorney for the 
Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad. He is highly esteemed by his 
colleagues and keeps in touch with his professional brethren through 
his membership in the South Dakota State Bar Association. 

	Mr. McNamee was married December 11, 1912, to Miss Winifred Mead, 
a daughter of Judge Corwin D. Mead, of Pierre, who is a highly 
respected attorney of that city, where he has resided for many years. 
Mr. and Mrs. McNamee have a daughter, Mary Ida, who was born March 4, 
1915. 

	Mr. McNamee has always voted the republican ticket and his advice 
is often sought in party councils. He is a member of the Delta Tau 
Delta, a college fraternity, and is also identified with the Elks lodge 
at Huron and with Pierre Lodge, No. 27, A. F. & A. M. During the 
administration of Governor Elrod Mr. McNamee served as colonel and 
aide-de-camp on the governor's staff. The gratifying success which he 
has gained as an attorney is all the more creditable when it is 
remembered that he has made his own way in the world, having started 
out for himself at the age of twelve years. The same energy and 
determination which enabled him to secure an education have been strong 
factors in his advancement at the bar.