H. D. Baillet Biography


	This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated
 	compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography,
	including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and 
	representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & 
	Co., Chicago, 1899. Pages 757-758

	Scan, OCR and editing by Maurice Krueger,mkrueger@iw.net, 1998. 

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H. D. BAILLET. In the great competitive struggle of life, where each 
must enter the field and fight his way to the front, or else be 
overtaken by disaster of circumstance or place, there is ever 
particular interest attached to the life of one who has turned the tide 
of success, has surmounted the obstacles and has shown his ability to 
cope with others in their rush for the coveted goal. Foremost among 
this class in Edmunds county is H. D. Baillet, president of the Bank of 
Bowdle, at Bowdle, South Dakota. 

He was born in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, in 1863, and is a son of F. 
E. and Susan (Dwight) Baillet, the former of French and the latter of 
English descent. They were married in Wisconsin, where the father was 
engaged in business for some years, first as a merchant and later as a 
traveling salesman, but, being an invalid, he is now living retired. 
Our subject's paternal great grandfather was a native of France, but 
the grandfather, Francis E. Baillet, was born in New York, where he 
taught school in early life and served as clerk of the courts in 
Cattaraugus county for a number of years. 

H. D. Baillet is the older in a family of two children, and as he was 
only three years of age when he lost his mother, he was reared by an 
uncle at Black River Falls and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, his literary 
education being completed by his graduation from the high school of the 
former place. Going to La Crosse, Wisconsin, in 1882, he was employed 
as clerk on river boats for a time, and later worked for a lumber 
company. It was in 1886 that he came to Bowdle, South Dakota, and in 
company with A. F. Le Claire and W. E. Sawyer, started one of the first 
lumber yards of the town, under the firm name of. A. F. Le Claire & Co. 
In the spring of 1889, Mr. Baillet disposed of his lumber interests 
here and started a bank at Edwin, South Dakota, which he conducted for 
one year and then closed up. Returning to Bowdle in 1890, he and his 
former partners bought the bank of Bowdle from Bowdle & Newcomber. This 
institution was established at its present location in 1 886 with Mr. 
Newcomber as president, while the cashier was D. W. Buright, who is now 
engaged in the real estate business at Mitchell, South Dakota; and 
assistant cashier, H. G. Fuller, now a judge on the supreme bench of 
this state. It was from these gentlemen that Messrs. Baillet, Sawyer 
and Le Claire purchased the bank in 1890, at which time Mr. Sawyer was 
chosen president. The following year the bank was incorporated with Mr. 
Sawyer as president; Mr. Le Claire as cashier; and Mr. Baillet as vice-
president, but since then our subject has purchased the entire stock 
and now serves as president, with I. J. Edwards as assistant cashier. 
Under his table management the deposits of the bank have increased from 
ten thousand dollars in 1890 to over forty thousand dollars in 1899, 
and it is now the leading bank in Bowdle- a safe and conservative 
institution which has the confidence of the people throughout the 
surrounding country. Besides this property Mr. Baillet also owns some 
farm lands and is interested in the cattle and creamery business. As a 
financier he ranks among the ablest in this section of the state, and 
for ten years has been an earnest and constructive force in 
administering the affairs of the strong and widely known institution of 
which he is now the head and over whose destinies he presides. 

In 1895, Mr. Baillet was united in marriage with Miss Eliza A. Musser, 
a native of Minnesota and a daughter of Chambers V. Musser, a farmer 
and harness maker by occupation. She died in February, 1899, leaving a 
little son, Frances Dwight now three years of age. In politics Mr. 
Baillet is independent, and for two terms he most efficiently and 
satisfactorily served as chairman of the town board of Bowdle. Socially 
he is a member of the Masonic order.