Alva Leroy Sommars Biography


	This biography appears on page 57 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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				ALVA LEROY SOMMARS. 

	Alva Leroy Sommars is conducting a first class restaurant in 
Chester and is also proprietor of a pool room. A native of Wisconsin, 
he was born in Richland county in 1873, a son of John B. and Rosetta 
(Johnson) Sommars, who in the year 1881 removed with their family to 
South Dakota, settling first at Dell Rapids. The father looked about 
him for a favorable location and afterward purchased two 
relinquishments in Chester township, Lake county. He then took up his 
abode upon his land and at once began to cultivate the place, 
continuing actively in farming operations until 1895, when with a 
substantial competence which he had acquired from his labors he retired 
to Sioux Falls. His wife passed away about five years ago and he is now 
in Arkansas. 

	Alva L. Sommars was one of a family of six children, five sons 
and a daughter, and was a lad of about eight years when the family came 
to this state. He is therefore indebted to its public-school system for 
the educational opportunities which he enjoyed, and when his school 
days were over he learned the barber's trade, beginning at the age of 
eighteen years and following that occupation for eighteen years. On the 
5th of August, 1912, he became a resident of Chester and opened his 
present place of business. He has the largest restaurant business in 
the town and has been very successful, serving a good meal in 
attractive style and at reasonable prices. He also conducts a pool room 
and both branches of his business are proving profitable. 

	On the 4th of February, 1897, Mr. Sommars was united in marriage 
to Miss Gunda A. Olson, a daughter of Peter Olson of Norway. They have 
four children, namely: Sidney L., Florence, Caroline and Dora. Mr. 
Sommars votes with the democratic party and has held the office of 
constable but has not been an aspirant for political preferment. He 
holds member ship in the Methodist Episcopal church and enjoys the 
confidence and goodwill of his fellow townsmen. Although a resident of 
Chester for but three years, he has made many friends here and is 
widely and favorably known throughout the county in which much of his 
life has been passed.