Wilber D. Todd Biography


	This biography appears on pages 295 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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				WILBER D. TODD. 

	Wilber D. Todd, the clerk of the courts of Custer county, is an 
esteemed resident of Custer and has many friends in that city. A native 
of Peoria, Illinois, he was born on the 31st of May, 1863, the eldest 
of four children, whose parents were Charles and Mary (Bundy) Todd, 
born respectively in Pennsylvania in 1822 and in Ohio in 1835. The 
father learned the miller's trade in his native state and subsequently 
removed to Illinois, where his marriage occurred. Still later he and 
his family emigrated to Iowa and after living in Jasper county removed 
to Audubon county. They resided there from 1871 until 1890, when a 
removal was made to the Black Hills, The father lived retired after 
coming to this state and passed away in 1898. His widow survived until 
September, 1912. 

	Wilber D. Todd attended school in Audubon county, Iowa, but when 
eighteen years of age became a farm hand and was so employed in Iowa 
until the spring of 1887. In that year he emigrated to the Black Hills 
and began mining. He became interested in a number of mining properties 
and also worked as a stone and brick mason. In 1898 he enlisted in 
Company I, First South Dakota Infantry, for service in the Philippine 
Islands, and was on duty there for eighteen months. Company I went from 
Custer and was under command of Captain Charles Denney. Upon his return 
home Mr. Todd resumed his prospecting and still retains his mining 
interests. He also continued to give some time to work as a mason. He 
has acquired one hundred and fifty-two acres of land a half mile south 
of Custer and supervises his ranching interests. In 1914 he was elected 
clerk of the courts and in January, 1915, assumed the duties of that 
office. There has never been any question of his reliability and his 
fellow citizens have the utmost confidence in his faithfulness. He is 
prompt and accurate and is proving a competent official. 

	Mr. Todd is a democrat and is loyal in his support of that party 
at the polls. Fraternally he is identified with the Knights of Pythias 
and is popular in that organization. He is well known in Custer county 
and those who have been most intimately associated with him hold him in 
high esteem, which is proof of a life lived in accordance with high 
principles.