Murray W. Westfall Biography


	This biography appears on pages 142-147 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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				MURRAY W. WESTFALL. 

	For sixteen consecutive years Murray W. Westfall of Watertown has 
been one of the county commissioners of Codington county and is the 
only man who has been thus honored, for no other commissioner has been 
continued for so long a period in the office. In former years he was 
actively engaged in farming in this part of the state but is now 
largely living retired from business cares. 

	He was born in Iowa City, Iowa, on the 16th of December, 1846, a 
son of the Rev. I. M. and Amanda Westfall. His father engaged in 
preaching in Iowa City when it was the capital of the territory of 
Iowa. He was a member of the Universalist church and took an active 
part in promoting that doctrine in the middle west in pioneer times. He 
afterward became a physician and continued actively in the practice of 
medicine for twenty-five years. In 1861 he had removed to Rochester, 
Minnesota, where he resided until 1880, when the family came to South 
Dakota and Dr. Westfall secured a homestead. He was a most dignified, 
courteous and kindly gentleman, well worthy the honor and high regard 
which were everywhere accorded him. 

	Murray W. Westfall came with the family to South Dakota and he, 
too, secured a homestead, which he located on section 24, Oxford 
township, Hamlin county, while his father's claim was in Codington 
county. Dr. Westfall in addition to directing the development of his 
place also engaged in the practice of medicine in Watertown, and there 
passed away in 1889, while his wife died in the year 1888. Dr. Westfall 
was a man of prominence in the different communities in which he lived 
and was made a delegate to the constitutional convention of South 
Dakota, which met at Sioux Falls. His ability as a medical practitioner 
and his influence on the side of moral progress also made him a factor 
in the upbuilding of his city and state. 

	Murray W. Westfall was educated in the public schools hut because 
of delicate health his opportunities in that direction were somewhat 
limited. He was twenty-one years of age when he began farming on his 
own account in Minnesota, where he followed that occupation for about 
fifteen years, and then came to South Dakota, as previously stated, in 
1880. In addition to securing a homestead he also obtained a tree claim 
and bent every energy toward bringing the land under cultivation and 
transforming it into richly productive fields. He remained upon the 
farm for seven years but about 1887 removed to Watertown. He now owns 
and rents his father's old homestead and through the careful and 
economical management of his business interests, his close application 
and his industry has won a substantial measure of success. 

	On the 21st of December, 1867, Mr. Westfall was united in 
marriage to Miss Adele Clough, a daughter of Charles and Adaline 
Clough, both of whom have passed away. Mr. and Mrs. Westfall have no 
children of their own, but adopted a boy, Claude C., now thirty five 
years of age, upon whom they have bestowed every care and attention. He 
is now in Krem, North Dakota. 

	Mr. Westfall holds membership with the Elks. He gives his 
political allegiance to the republican party, which he has supported 
since age conferred upon him the right of franchise. For one term he 
served as a member of the city council of Watertown and in 1898 he was 
elected county commissioner, which position he has since filled through 
reelection for sixteen consecutive years, having the honor of being the 
oldest member of the county board in years of continuous service. He 
likewise held township offices in Hamlin county and for three years was 
a member of the school board of Watertown. He is deeply interested in 
the upbuilding of his city and is enthusiastic in his advocacy of South 
Dakota. In Watertown and throughout Codington county he is widely 
known, and both he and his wife have a large circle of warm friends.