Nathan Noble Biography


	This biography appears on pages 470-473 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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				NATHAN NOBLE. 

	Nathan Noble, banker and ranchman, controlling important business 
interests and a citizen whose interest in all progressive movements 
finds tangible expression, was born in Mercer county, Illinois, June 
17, 1851, a son of D. J. and Sarah (Reeder) Noble, both of whom are now 
deceased. The father was a native of Indiana but the ancestral line is 
traced back to Ireland, whence came the great-great-grandfather of 
Nathan Noble, who settled in South Carolina in the latter part of the 
eighteenth century. 

	In the public schools of his native county Nathan Noble acquired 
his preliminary education and later became a student in Hedding 
Seminary, a Methodist school at Abingdon, Illinois. In early manhood he 
took up the profession of teaching, which he followed for a short time, 
and in 1872, when twenty-one years of age, he came to Dakota, settling 
on a homestead claim in Lincoln county. On his removal here he was the 
first to ship goods over what was then known as the Dakota Southern 
Railroad, now the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul, and paid the first 
freight to that road and still has the receipt for the same in his 
possession. The road permitted Mrs. Noble to ride in the cab of the 
engine, as it was a construction train, no regular train having been 
put on the road at that time. This was the first railroad built in what 
is now South Dakota. 

	For nine years Mr. Noble followed farming and then removed to 
Canton, where he established a lumberyard which he conducted 
successfully for ten years. At that time the Northwestern Railway was 
built and the town of Centerville was founded. He removed to that 
place, having there acquired a homestead and other lands that 
aggregated eight hundred acres. He continued for five years in the 
lumber business there and then engaged in general merchandising and 
also did some drainage engineering. In 1913 he removed to Woonsocket 
and became president of the Citizens National Bank, which had been 
founded in 1902. In 1914, when the institution became a member of the 
Federal Reserve, the name was changed to the First National Bank. It is 
capitalized for thirty-five thousand dollars and a general banking 
business is conducted along legitimate lines, the policy of the 
officers being to carefully safeguard the interests of depositors, so 
that the course of the bank has been such as has won public confidence 
in an unusual degree. In whatever business Mr. Noble has engaged he has 
displayed adaptability and enterprise which, combined with close 
application and keen sagacity, have won for him a most gratifying 
measure of success. He has a large ranch in Hand county comprising 
twelve hundred acres, on which he raises Hereford cattle. 

	On the 17th of October, 1872, Mr. Noble was united in marriage to 
Miss Alida Pruyn, a daughter of Walter and Sarah (Kibbie) Pruyn, of 
Mercer county, Illinois. They have five children, as follows: William 
P., who is a ranchman of Hand county and a breeder of blooded cattle; 
D. Walter, of Chehalis, who is president of the Chehalis National Bank; 
Harriet, the wife of Fred D. Henderson, who is connected with the 
Security National Bank of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Edith, the wife of 
R. A. Carhart, who acts as agent for the Methodist Book Concern at 
Mexico City, Mexico; and Ralph C., who is a graduate of the Dakota 
Wesleyan University and also of Purdue University of Indiana. The last 
named formerly served as engineer under Samuel H. Lee and is now 
cashier of the First National Bank of Woonsocket. 

	Mr. Noble votes with the republican party nor does he regard 
lightly the duties of citizenship. He served as a member of the 
councils of Canton and Centerville and was mayor of the latter place at 
the time of his removal to Woonsocket. 

	He has also been county commissioner of Lincoln county, was 
county surveyor of Turner county for six years and is now filling the 
position of deputy state surveyor. He belongs to the Modern Woodmen 
camp, and both he and his wife are active members of the Methodist 
church. He is serving on its board of trustees and does much to further 
and promote its work. He is a contributor to and member of the board of 
trustees of the Dakota Wesleyan University and stands for all that is 
progressive and helpful. His wife is very active in the Ladies Aid 
Society of the church and also in the Woman's Christian Temperance 
Union. Mr. Noble possesses scholarly tastes and devotes considerable 
time to the study of current events which indicate the world's 
advancement. He is interested in all progressive movements and keeps in 
touch with the vital and significant problems of the day that have to 
do with the upbuilding and development of city, state and nation. He 
believes that it should be a matter of personal concern to every 
public-spirited citizen to aid in the work of general improvement and 
he actively endorses those projects which are a matter of civic virtue 
and civic pride.