Arlo L. McWhorter 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. Page 265

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

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HON. ARNO L. McWHORTER was for several years successfully engaged in 
the real-estate business in Miller, South Dakota, but is now interested 
in farming and the breeding of fine horses on section 1 8, Midland 
township, Hand county. Throughout his career of continued and far-
reaching usefulness his duties have been performed with the greatest 
care, and business interests have been so managed as to win him the 
confidence of the public and the prosperity which should always attend 
honorable effort. 

Mr. McWhorter was born in Butler township, Branch county, Michigan, 
April 2, 1844, and is a son of Tyler and Lydia (Grow) McWhorter, the 
former a native of Steuben county, New York, the latter also a native 
of the state of New York. The father was born in 1815, and was a son of 
James and Anna (Parker) McWhorter. In 1836 the father of our subject 
moved to Branch county, Michigan, where he engaged in teaching, serving 
as principal of the Coldwater school for a time, and he also filled the 
office of county surveyor. He removed to Mercer county, Illinois, in 
1845, and there engaged in horticulture, operating the Pomeroy Nursery 
for several years. He made extensive researches into the subject of 
horticulture, was president of the Illinois State Horticultural Society 
in 1869, and of the Northern Society in 1873. He was also a prominent 
member of the State Natural History Society and owned a valuable 
geological cabinet, which was presented to the state. He died in 1896, 
honored and respected by all who knew him. He was twice married and had 
two sons and two daughters. 

The subject of this review was reared and principally educated in 
Mercer county, Illinois. In 1862 he left school at Galesburg, Illinois, 
to enter the service of his country during the Rebellion, as a member 
of Company G. One Hundred and Twenty fourth Illinois Volunteer 
Infantry, with which he served until hostilities ceased. He took part 
in the battles of Port Gibson, Black Bayou, Mississippi, Raymond, 
Jackson, Mississippi, Champion Hills, the siege of Vicksburg, the 
battles of Yazoo City and Meridian, Mississippi, and the siege of 
Mobile and Spanish Fort. He was wounded during a raid in Mississippi, 
being shot through the thigh. At the close of the war he was honorably 
discharged and mustered out in August, 1865. 

Mr. McWhorter continued to make his home in Mercer county, Illinois, 
until ¢866, when he removed to Poweshiek county, Iowa. and started the 
Poweshiek County Nursery, which he conducted for three years. He then 
removed to Altoona, Polk county, Iowa, the same state, where he engaged 
in farming end the nursery lousiness until 1882, owning and operating 
one of the finest farms in Iowa. On leaving there he came to Miller, 
South Dakota, and platted an addition to the town, being engaged in the 
real estate and loan business at that place for several years. In 1894 
he located upon his present farm in Midland township, and has since 
given his time and attention to general farming and the breeding of 
fine horses. He is the owner of Noxal, No. 11,274, one of the finest 
horses in the west, and a number of promising younger ones. 

On the 24th of December, 1 867, Mr. McWhorter was united in marriage 
with Miss Lydia A. Willett, a native of Illinois and a daughter of 
James E. and Lydia A. (Stout) Willett, who were from Kentucky. Five 
children grace this union, four sons and one daughter, all living, 
namely: Tyler; Adda L., now the wife of J. D. Miller, of Miller, South 
Dakota; Port; Arno S.; and Loen R. They have also lost two daughters. 

Fraternally Mr. McWhorter affiliates with the Grand Army of the 
Republic, and politically is identified with the Populist party. He has 
filled several minor offices, and in 1896 was erected to the lower 
house of the state legislature, where he most ably represented his 
district for one term. He is honored and esteemed by all who have the 
pleasure of his acquaintance or have met him in a business way.