W. W. Waite 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 275

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

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W. W. WAITE, cashier of the Hughes County Bank of Blunt, South Dakota, 
has a wide reputation as a most capable financier and occupies a 
position of considerable prominence in business circles. He is still 
comparatively a young man, but has already attained to a measure of 
prosperity that many a one who started out on life's journey before him 
might well envy. His life demonstrates what may be accomplished through 
energy, careful management, keen foresight and the utilization of the 
powers with which nature has endowed one, and the opportunities with 
which the times surround him. 

Mr. Waite was born in De Kalb county, Illinois, March 3, 1860, a son of 
Tyler K. and Mary E. (Warren) Waite, natives of Vermont and New York, 
respectively. The father moved to Illinois in 1858, and engaged in 
merchandising there until his death, which occurred in 1871. Our 
subject passed his boyhood and youth in his native county and was there 
educated. He began his business career as a clerk in the produce market 
of N. C. Warren, and in 1878 went to Lena, Stephenson county, Illinois, 
where he was employed in a drug store for one year. He then returned 
home and after clerking there for a year, he entered Bryant & Stratton 
Business College, of Chicago, in 1880, taking a full course. He then 
went to Kansas City, Missouri, and for over a year was in the employ of 
the Kansas City Stock Yards Company. 

In 1883 Mr. Waite came to Blunt, South Dakota, and on the 10th of May, 
that year, with the assistance of E. C. Garvin and N. C. Warren, 
organized the Hughes County Bank, which now has a capital stock paid in 
of sixteen thousand six hundred dollars, and three thousand four 
hundred dollars surplus. From the beginning up to the present time the 
officers have been Mr. Warren, president; Mr. Garvin, vice-president, 
and Mr. Waite, cashier. They do a general banking business and their 
average deposits amount to fifty thousand dollars. Under the able 
management of our subject the bank has prospered from the start, and is 
one of the most solid financial institutions in Hughes county. In 1898 
they built a new vault and purchased a burglar-proof safe, one of the 
best in this part of the state. Mr. Waite is also senior member of the 
firm of Waite Brothers, general merchants and dealers in farm 
implements in Blunt, and he owns a half interest in a fine stock ranch 
on Chapelle creek, which is now being stocked up. 

In 1895 Mr. Waite married Miss Genevieve Thompson, a native of 
Minnesota, and to them has been born a son, Warren C. Socially our 
subject holds membership in the Knights of Pythias fraternity and the 
Ancient Order of United Workmen, and politically is an ardent 
Republican. He has filled some minor offices, but prefers to give his 
time and attention to his extensive business interests. In all his 
undertakings he teas met with marked success, and is to-day one of the 
most substantial as well as one of the most prominent and influential 
citizens of his community.