Biography of Frank D. Fitts

	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, 1898. Page 319.

	Scan and OCR by Joy Fisher, 1997. This file may be copied for non-profit 
	purposes. All other rights reserved. 




FRANK D. FITTS, president of the First National Bank of Madison, South 
Dakota, was born in Cooper, Kalamazoo county, Michigan, March 14, 1854. 
His father, Francis Fitts, was a native of Connecticut, but moved when 
but a young man to Brooklyn, New York, where he was engaged in the 
mercantile business about two years. From there he moved to Kalamazoo 
county, Michigan, built a saw mill which he operated about two years, 
and then moved to Aurora, Illinois. He next moved to Chicago where he 
was employed as a traveling salesman for several years, and later moved 
to Lena, Illinois. He died in Chicago in 1885, at the age of eighty 
years. Eliza Dean, mother of our subject, was a native of Woodstock, 
Connecticut, and grew to maturity in her native home. She died in 1891, 
in the eightieth year of her life. Her father, Joseph Dean, was a native 
of Connecticut, and of Scotch descent. Mr. and Mrs. Fitts were the 
parents of seven children, five daughters and two sons, of whom Frank D. 
is the youngest. Of the family of seven, only three are now living, viz: 
Mrs. Ellen F., wife of R. C. McCallister. She is one of the directors of 
the bank of which our subject is president; Mary E., vice-president of 
the First National Bank; and our subject. At the age of about six 
months, Mr. Fitts moved with his parents to Aurora, Illinois, and at the 
age of about two years, moved to Chicago, where he attended the public 
schools of the south and west sides, and also the high school of the 
west side for three years, after which he went into the Franklin Bank, 
at the corner of Dearborn anal Monroe streets, and began work in the 
employ of the bank as a messenger, and the third year he had charge of 
the savings department. Next he was employed by Henry H. Gage about one 
year in a tax title office, and was salesman and bookkeeper two years 
for George B. Swift & Co., in the lubricating oil department. During 
this time he was also with George R. Davis during the campaign of 1876, 
the time when the latter was running for congress. In 1 878 he bought a 
farm adjoining the town of Lena, Illinois, and operated the same for 
five years, then sold out and moved to Madison, South Dakota, where he 
opened a private bank, and one year later organized the First National 
Bank. This bank, of which he was made president in about 1886, has a 
capital stock of fifty thousand dollars, with a surplus and profits, 
twenty thousand nine hundred dollars. Mr. G. L. McCallister is cashier.

	Mr. Fitts is also proprietor of the Madison opera house, which has 
a seating capacity of one thousand. He owns and controls a furniture 
business, and has built some of the finest residences in Madison, taking 
an active interest, and in fact, one of the leading factors in the 
growth and development of the town. In politics Mr. Fitts is a stanch 
Republican and has filled several of the local public offices. He is a 
prominent member of the Masonic order, being connected with the blue 
lodge, No. 17, F. & A. M., the chapter No. 20, Cyrus commandery, of 
Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and El Riad Temple, of the Mystric Shrine. He 
was high priest in the chapter at the time it was organized and has held 
many other positions in the order. He is also a member of the A. O. U. 
W. at Madison, the M. W. of A. at Madison, and the Order of the Eastern 
Star.

	May 19, 1887, Mr. Fitts was united in marriage to Miss Ette L. 
Hill, a native of Minnesota, and a daughter of Wesley and Loretta E. 
Hill. To this congenial union have been born four children: Mary D., 
Rose G., Joe W., and an infant.