William T. Dale 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 676-679

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

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WILLIAM T. DALE, the popular and efficient postmaster, and senior 
member of the firm of Dale & Meade, dealers in hardware, in the village 
of Mellette, Spink county, has a record as one of the pioneer business 
men of the county and as a citizen of worth, which is no less enviable 
than his record as a volunteer and veteran of the Civil war. A portrait 
of Mr. Dale is presented on another page. 

William T. Dale was born in Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, January 6, 
1840, and was one of a family of thirteen children born to Mark and 
Lucinda (Trieble) Dale. The father was of English descent, and the 
mother traced her ancestry to the early Pennsylvania Dutch. The mother 
died when our subject was but two years of age, and at the age of 
thirteen he went to Illinois and began his life among strangers. He 
worked upon a farm, beginning at five dollars per month, and gradually 
reached a higher rate of wages as his value as a worker became better 
known. In 1856 he went back to Pennsylvania, and for several years 
afterward followed lumbering. He returned from the pineries in the 
spring of 1861, and to his surprise found the country plunged into a 
Civil war. He enlisted at once in Company K, Fifteenth Pennsylvania 
Volunteer Infantry, for the term of three months. He took part in the 
battle of Falling Water, and at the end of his three months enlistment 
was mustered out. Two months later he enlisted again, this time in 
Company L, Ninth Pennsylvania Cavalry, and with this company was given 
the rank of sergeant. He served valiantly in thirty-seven engagements 
during his connection with his company, among which were Perryville, 
Kentucky, Carter's Raid, Thompson's Station, Franklin, Tennessee, 
Chickamauga, and Dandridge. Under Kilpatrick he was with Sherman's army 
on its march to the sea, and was at Benton's House when Johnston 
surrendered. At the end of his three years' enlistment, he was mustered 
out, and reenlisted as a veteran January 1, 1864. He was finally 
mustered out July 25, 1865, having thus served throughout the entire 
war. He says he heard the first order to "fire above the enemy's 
heads," given by General Patterson to General Doubleday, and was 
present at the final surrender. His record as a brave and skillful 
soldier is without blemish, and is one that any American and patriot 
might well be proud of. 

After the war Mr. Dale located in Independence, Iowa, and engaged in 
the manufacture of wagons, until 1881, when he took up his residence in 
Spink county, arriving there in May of that year. In October following 
he brought his family west, purchased lots in Mellette, and erected a 
building 16 x 24 feet, the first in the town. He laid in a stock of 
groceries and provisions, and thus became the pioneer business man of 
Mellette. A post office was petitioned for, and our subject became 
postmaster, and has served in that capacity under every Republican 
administration since, but refusing to serve when the party was out of 
power at the White House, although the office is of the fourth class. 

Mr. Dale was married to Miss Susie C. Snover, in 1864. To Mr. and Mrs. 
Dale three children have been born, namely, Mark H., deceased, Lucy M. 
and Bertha. Mr. Dale is a member in good standing of the Masonic 
fraternity, the I. O. O. F., and the Grand Army of the Republic. In 
politics he is an out and out Republican, and staunchly supports and 
advocates its primary principles. He is also an advocate of prohibition 
of the liquor traffic, and of extension of the right of suffrage to 
women. He is a man of much influence, has established himself firmly in 
the esteem of his fellow citizens, and is a thorough-going business 
man.