William C. Notmeyer

William C. Notmeyer Biography

This biography appears on pages 1373-1374 in "History of South Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904).

WILLIAM C. NOTMEYER, register of deeds of Hughes county, was born in the city of Bismarck, North Dakota, on Christmas day, 1877, being a son of Henry L. and Nellie (Inman) Notmeyer, both of whom were born in Ohio. At the time of the Mexican war Henry L. Notmeyer offered his
services to his country, but failing to secure a commission he engaged in a survey in Kansas and during the winters of those early years he was with Colonel W. F. Cody (Buffalo Bill) on expeditions in hunting buffaloes on the great western plains, the animals being shipped to the markets in Cincinnati and St. Louis. At the opening of the Civil war he enlisted as a member of the Fifty-second Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry and served until victory had crowned the Union arms, participating in the battles of Vicksburg, Shiloh and many other of the famous battles incidental to the great civil conflict. In an early day he came to what is now North Dakota and located in the frontier village of Bismarck, where he remained until 1881, when he came with his family to Pierre, the attractive little capital city of South Dakota, where he engaged in the grocery business. Here he passed the remainder of his life, his death occurring in 1894. He was well known to the old-timers
of the territory, was a man of inflexible integrity and had a host of friends in the two great commonwealths which originally constituted the extensive domain of the territory of Dakota. His wife died in the year 1880 at Bismarck; of their three children, two are living. Prior to settling in Bismarck he had been a scout in Kansas, during the Indian troubles, having been appointed to this position by Colonel Cody, who was chief of scouts at the time.

The subject of this sketch received his educational training in the public schools of Pierre, and thereafter was for several years employed as bookkeeper in the cattle and loan establishment of March Brothers. On the 28th of April, 1898, he enlisted as a private, and was later promoted to sergeant, in Company A, First South Dakota Volunteer Infantry, commanded by Colonel A. S. Frost, being mustered in at Sioux Falls and thence proceeding with the command to San Francisco, where they embarked at once for Manila, making the voyage by way of Honolulu. Their first engagement with the insurgents occurred on the 4th of February, 1899, in Manila, the conflict continuing on the following day, while on the 23d of the same month they had other spirited engagements on the outskirts of the city, while they were again engaged with the natives on the 28th. On the 4th and 5th of May they moved out and captured the town of San Fernando, where they remained on provost duty until May 24th, when they again were in battle, as were they also on the
25th, this being the last active engagement in which the regiment took part. They then returned to Santa Mesa, three miles distant from Manila, where they recruited before returning, remaining there stationed about four weeks, at the expiration of which they were again called into the field and kept on duty until they returned to San Francisco, by way of Japan, having been mustered out on the 5th of October, 1899. Mr. Notmeyer while thus in service well upheld the military prestige gained
by his honored father, and was always found at the post of duty.

After the close of his military career he returned to his home in Pierre, and was instrumental in the organization of Troop B, First Squadron, South Dakota Cavalry, National Guard, located at Pierre, of which troop he was made first lieutenant. In November, 1900, he was elected register of deeds of Hughes county, in which capacity he has since continued to serve, having been chosen as his own successor in Ig02. He is a real-estate dealer to some extent and also contracts for the construction of cement sidewalks, curbing, etc., being associated with the cement firm of Stover & Engelsby, and fraternally is identified with the Knights of Pythias, the Knights of the Maccabees and the Brotherhood of American Yeomen. He is a very active member of Pierre's volunteer fire department, and has served several years as first assistant chief. Religiously he is member of the First Methodist church of the capital city.

On the 16th of May, 1900, Mr. Notmeyer was united in marriage to Miss Arlie B. Pond, who was born in Fond du Lac county, Wisconsin, and who is a daughter of Albert A. Pond, now a well-known citizen and business man of Pierre.