Wilmot W. Brookings Biography

	This biography appears on page 469-470 in "History of Minnehaha 
	County, South Dakota" by Dana R. Bailey and was scanned, OCRed 
	and edited by Joy Fisher, http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00001.html#0000031
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BROOKINGS, WILMOT W., was born in Woolwich, Maine, October 23, 1830.  
His father was of English descent, and his ancestors came over in the 
early settlement of the Colonies.  His great grandfather was killed in 
the British service while repelling an attack made by the French and 
Indians on the fort of Phipps Neck, Woolwich, Maine, in 1858.  His 
mother, Susannah Bailey, was of Scotch and Hugenot descent.

His early boyhood was passed on the farm, with the exception of several 
short fishing and sea voyages.  In 1850, he determined on a college 
course and in 1851 was admitted to Bowdoin college, and graduated in 
1855, supporting himself largely by teaching during the annual 
vacations.  After graduating and while reading law with Hon. W. P. 
Fessenden of Portland, Maine, he taught at the Litchfield Institute, 
North Anson Academy and Wiscasset high school, each one term.  In May, 
1857, he was admitted to the bar in Portland.  The June following he 
started for the West, and on the 27th day of August 1857, reached Sioux 
Falls, then a part of Minnesota Territory, with only nine white persons 
in all the country now constituting the two Dakotas.

Soon after his arrival, a county was organized and the subject of this 
sketch was appointed district attorney.  In 1859, he was elected a 
member and president of the council of the People's Legislature of 
Dakota, and by the same legislature, appointed governor.  In 1861, was 
elected to the council of the Dakota legislature from the first 
district for two years to the house of representatives from Yankton 
county for three successive terms, 1863-4-5, and was speaker in 1864; 
was appointed in 1865 to the superintendency of a United States 
military wagon road from Minnesota to Montana; in 1866, was nominated 
for Congress by the anti-Johnson branch of the Republican party; was 
elected member of the council from Yankton county in 1867 for two 
years; elected president of the council in 1868; served as district 
attorney for Yankton county in 1867-8. In March, 1869, was married to 
Clara A. Carney, daughter of Capt. William Carney of Dresden, Maine.  
In April, 1869, was appointed by President Grant associate justice of 
the supreme court of Dakota for four years, and served until 1873; was 
a member of the constitutional conventions of 1883 and 1885 from 
Minnehaha county.  He was the most prominent organizer of the Dakota 
Southern Railroad in 1871-the first railroad to enter Dakota--and was 
either president, vice president or solicitor for more than ten years 
of the Dakota Southern, Sioux City & Pembina, and the Sioux City and 
Dakota railroad, now part of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul system.  
Published the Sioux Falls Leader in 1883-5.  In 1889, the Minnehaha 
Canning Factory was built.  He was the principal owner, and was 
president of the company organized to conduct the business.  He was 
promoter of the Sioux Falls Linen Mills, and one of its directors; 
organized the Minnehaha Trust Company, of which he was president, and 
was for some years a director in the Sioux Falls National Bank, 
National Reality Company and the Safe Deposit Company.

October 15, 1862, he pre-empted the northwest quarter of section 16, 
township 101, range 49, the first land ever entered from the govermment 
in Dakota.

The activity and enterprise of Judge Brookings need no comments, and 
the various official positions he has held politically and in 
connection with enterprises looking to the development of South Dakota 
vouch for his ability and integrity.  He is not only zealous in 
whatever he undertakes, but is a man of resource and courage.  He was 
"in at the beginning" and has suffered more than ordinarily falls to 
the lot of the pioneer, and no person who is acquainted with Judge 
Brookings and his active work in behalf of the city of Sioux Falls and 
South Dakota can for a moment do otherwise than remember him kindly, 
and hope that he may yet reap a rich harvest from his many enterprises.