Biography of Judge William McGrath

	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 362

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


JUDGE WILLIAM McGRATH, whose portrait appears opposite, is county judge 
of Lake county, and resides at Madison. He is also a prominent lawyer, 
and very popular with all who know him, both in political and social 
circles, and his thorough knowledge of the law and his unwavering 
adherence to true and even justice upon the bench give him rank with the 
ablest jurists of the state. Judge McGrath was born in Whiteside county, 
Illinois, May 20, 1853. His father, James McGrath, was a North of 
Ireland man, and came to this country when young. He first settled in 
New Brunswick, and then removed, in 1848,  to Illinois, locating in 
Whiteside county. He pursued farming for a living, and remained in 
Whiteside county up to the time of his death, which occurred in his 
sixtieth year. Our subject's mother, Elizabeth (Suer) McGrath, was born 
in New York, and was of Canadian descent. She lived to be ninety years 
of age. William was the youngest of a family of ten sons and four 
daughters, eight of whom are still living. He obtained some schooling in 
Whiteside county, and remained there until he attained his twentieth 
year, when he entered Cornell college, of Mt. Vernon, Iowa. He studied 
there for three years, and in 1878 matriculated in the law department of 
the State university. He was graduated June 18, 1879. Shortly afterward 
the Judge opened a law office at Center Point, Iowa, where he remained 
for the next five years. While there he was nominated at one time for 
the office of mayor. When the voting was over, to his surprise he 
discovered that his opponent's total was just one vote, and further 
investigation by persons interested brought to light the fact that the 
successful candidate had cast that solitary ballot. After leaving Center 
Point, Judge McGrath located at Madison and formed a law partnership 
with Mr. F. L. Soper, which continued for about nine months. He then 
established an office of his own, which he has maintained since with 
marked success and honor to his profession. Judge McGrath, who has 
always been a Democrat, was elected state's attorney of Lake county in 
1888, and in 1890 was chosen by the people as county judge. He was re-
elected in 1896, and still holds that office. He was also city attorney 
for three years. Judge McGrath is a member of the Masonic fraternity, 
belonging to Veance lodge, No. 142, of Center Point, Iowa.

	Judge McGrath married Miss Elva Ashlock, March 14, 1878. Mrs. 
McGrath is a daughter of James and Belinda (Wyckoff) Ashlock. Judge and 
Mrs. McGrath are the parents of three children, William, Scott, Arthur 
Clarence and May Frances.