George H. Randall Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1232, 1235 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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				GEORGE H. RANDALL. 

	George H. Randall, the president of the Merchants Loan & Trust 
Company of Rapid City, is well known throughout the Black Hills region 
and is a man of influence in financial circles of that locality. He was 
born in Juneau county, Wisconsin, on the 24th of February, 1862, upon a 
farm belonging to his father, Benjamin Randall. The latter was born in 
the state of New York, but in 1845 removed to Wisconsin, settling upon 
the homestead where he continued to reside until his death in 1863 
shortly after his enlistment in the Union army. His wife, who was in 
her maidenhood Miss Mary Hoke, was born in Pennsylvania, her family 
having removed there from New England. She was descended from the Hoke 
family of early colonial times. Mr. and Mrs. Randall were the parents 
of eight children, of whom George H. is the youngest. 

	The last named received his education in the public and high 
schools of Elroy, Wisconsin, and in the Elroy Seminary. After leaving 
school he became a clerk in the post office at Salem, South Dakota, 
where he located in 1881. He served for four years as deputy postmaster 
and for the same length of time as postmaster. For four years he held 
the office of county treasurer of McCook county and for six years was 
mayor of Salem. In 1889 he entered the banking business, becoming 
cashier of the McCook County State Bank and so continuing for four 
years. In ] 893 he established the Canova State Bank at Canova, South 
Dakota, and remained as owner and president of that institution until 
1907, when he sold his interest therein and devoted the following two 
years to travel. In 1909 he removed to Rapid City and organized the 
Merchants Loan & Trust Company, of which he became president and 
executive head. He has since remained in control of that institution 
and the success and solidity of the bank is a tribute to his ability as 
a financier. He is able to maintain a nice balance between that 
conservatism which safeguards the interests of depositors and the 
progressiveness that is necessary in keeping abreast of the times. As a 
result of his wise policy the Merchants Loan & Trust Company enjoys the 
confidence of the business public and also pays good dividends. Mr. 
Randall is interested in a number of other business enterprises and is 
one of the foremost men in the commercial and financial life of Rapid 
City. He also owns extensive farm and ranch lands and raises many 
horses and cattle annually. 

	The marriage of Mr. Randall and Miss Alma C. Runkel was 
solemnized on the 26th of June, 1884. Mrs. Randall is ,a daughter of 
Henry and Marie (Schatzel) Runkel, of Mauston, Wisconsin, and the 
mother of four children. Phillip L. was educated in the Sioux Falls 
high school, the Bishop Scott Academy of Portland, Oregon, and Mankato 
College at Mankato. Minnesota, and is now the efficient cashier of the 
Merchants Loan & Trust Company. May is a graduate of the Seattle 
(Wash.) high school and gave her hand in marriage to Ward Stanley, of 
Hot Springs, South Dakota. Marguerite is an alumna of the Rapid City 
high school and Gertrude is attending high school there. 

	Mr. Randall is an independent democrat and has taken a very 
active part in state and local political affairs. He has for many years 
been a member of the county and state committees and in 1892 was a 
delegate to the national convention of his party. Although he has 
served his community in various public capacities, he has never had any 
ambition for greater political honors. Fraternally he is a thirty-
second degree Mason and a member of the Benevolent Protective Order of 
Elks. He has never outgrown his love of outdoor life and finds needed 
recreation in hunting and fishing. He is a lover of fine stock and 
devotes much time to the breeding of blooded horses and cattle upon his 
ranch and he has made a study of all phases of modern agriculture, 
using the latest methods in the cultivation of his fields. He was one 
of the first to see the close connection that exists between good roads 
and prosperity for a community and was an advocate of improved highways 
at a time when spending money for that purpose was looked upon as 
useless waste by the majority of the people. His attitude upon the good 
roads movement is characteristic of the man, as he was always 
interested in anything that he believes will work toward the public 
good and IS willing to support quell a movement even if it is for the 
time being unpopular. When he came to South Dakota he had no capital 
other than a keen mind, great energy and unlimited ambition and 
determination and the success that he has achieved along material lines 
is an effective rebuke to those who maintain that it is impossible to 
prosper financially unless one has special advantages to begin with. In 
gaining the success that is measured by wealth he has not forgotten 
that there are other values in life and has in all of his relations 
with his fellow men closely observed principles of fair dealing and 
integrity, thus gaining the sincere respect of all who know him.