Ernest J. Straw Biography


	This biography appears on pages 98-99 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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				ERNEST J. STRAW. 

	Among the well established real-estate men of Lincoln county is 
Ernest J. Straw, who has maintained an office at Canton for the past 
fourteen years and receives a liberal share of patronage from investors 
and homeseekers. He also deals extensively in automobiles, having now 
the largest concern of this character in the county, his partner being 
Ed L. Wendt. Mr. Straw is a native of Manitowoc county, Wisconsin, and 
was born August 26, ]867, the youngest of three sons, whose parents 
were Josiah and Joanna (Hann) Straw, both of whom were natives of New 
Hampshire, the former born in Plymouth, September 15, 1827. They were 
reared and married in the state of their nativity, and in 1857 removed 
to Wisconsin, locating in Manitowoc county, where the father engaged in 
the lumber business. In 1870 he removed with his family to South 
Dakota, locating on a farm three and a half miles northwest of Canton, 
and with the conduct of that place he was identified for thirty years, 
or throughout the remainder of his active business career. He then put 
aside business cares to spend his last days in honorable retirement, 
taking up his abode in the city of Canton, where he passed away on the 
29th of March, 1911, in the eighty-fourth year of his age. His widow 
still survives at the very advanced age of eighty-seven years and is 
now making her home with her son Ernest J. in Canton.  

	A little lad of but three years when the family home was 
established here Ernest J. Straw acquired his preliminary education in 
the district schools of Lincoln county. This knowledge was supplemented 
by a course of study in Augustana College at Canton. After completing 
his education he engaged in the men's clothing and furnishings business 
in Canton on his own account, thus spending four years. He next engaged 
in farming for five years and still owns a valuable tract of three 
hundred and twenty acres in Lincoln county, and in addition has four 
hundred and eighty acres in Hand county. In 1900 he left the farm and 
removed to Canton where he began handling real estate on his own 
account, having as his partner Ed L. Wendt. Through perseverance and 
honorable methods he has developed a lucrative and growing patronage. 
He has been active in securing substantial improvements which are 
essential elements in the upbuilding of any community and as his 
investments have been judiciously placed they have produced gratifying 
financial returns. In connection with real estate Mr. Straw and his 
partner also deal extensively in automobiles, selling more cars than 
any other firm engaged in the business in the county, and he also owns 
stock in the Farmers Lumber Company. He occupies one of the finest 
residence properties in Canton. 

	It was on the 23d of July, 1889, that Mr. Straw led to the 
marriage altar Miss Luella A. Wendt, a daughter of Ernest Wendt, the 
pioneer merchant of this section of South Dakota. Mrs. Straw is a 
charming woman, who presides with gracious hospitality over their 
pleasant home. Both she and Mr. Straw are members of the Methodist 
church, in the work of which she is active and she is also deeply 
interested in all charitable movements. Where national issues are 
involved, Mr. Straw supports the candidates of the republican party but 
at local elections votes independently. He is a valued member of the 
Masonic body, holding membership in Silver Star Lodge, No. 4, at 
Canton. His recreation lies in motoring, fishing and hunting. He is 
known as a man of the strictest integrity and his conscientious 
attention to the wants of his patrons has gained for him an enviable 
standing in business.