William S. Major 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 1000-1001

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

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HON. WILLIAM S. MAJOR, one of the pioneer settlers of Hand county, who 
has been a prominent figure in the advancement of not alone his 
resident locality, but the entire state of South Dakota, is a native of 
Clinton county, Indiana, and was born January 23, 1851. His present 
home is on section 5, in Hulbert township, near Wessington, South 
Dakota, where he is successfully engaged in farming and stock raising. 

The grandfather of our subject, Thomas Major, was a native of Ireland 
and emigrated to the United States about 1797, and afterward served in 
the war of 1812. His death occurred in Clinton county, Indiana. The 
parents of our subject, George and Amanda (Snoddy) Major, were natives 
of Ohio. His father was a farmer by occupation and settled in Indiana 
in 1831, at the-age of fourteen years. He now resides in retirement in 
Bloomington, Indiana. He has four sons and one daughter living. One 
son, George E., resides in the same county as our subject. 

Mr. Major was reared and educated in his native state and engaged in 
farming in Clinton and Jasper counties, where he remained until 1880. 
He then went on a prospecting tour to Washington and Oregon and other 
western states, and two years later located in Hand county, taking his 
claim in Hulbert township in 1882. He is one of the most extensive land 
owners in the county and has a highly improved farm of nine hundred and 
sixty acres, five hundred of which is under cultivation. He is also 
largely interested in stock raising, and has made a success of his 
vocation entirely through his own industry and good management. 

Our subject assisted in the organization of both his county and 
township, and has been closely identified with their growth. He has 
filled many offices of trust, and with a creditable record. He was 
chosen as a senator in the general assemblies of 189193-97, and served 
on many prominent committees. He was county commissioner from 1888 to 
1891. Since the organization of the Populist party he has been an 
advocate of the reform principles, and a leader in the party. He is a 
citizen of whom the state may well be proud, and his sound judgment and 
honorable bearing command the esteem of all. He is a member of the 
Presbyterian church.