William H. McMaster

McMaster was born to Samuel and Sara (Woodsum) McMaster in Ticonic, Iowa, Monona County, Iowa. His family moved to Sioux City, Iowa after the death of his father in 1880; and while growing up, he contributed to the family income by delivering the morning edition of the "Sioux City Journal." McMaster graduated from Sioux City High School and in 1899, he received a B.A. degree from Beloit College in Wisconsin.[1]

McMaster served as the head football coach at the University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh (then known as Oshkosh Normal School) in 1899.[2]

In 1901, he moved to Yankton, South Dakota and worked as a cashier at that Security State Bank in Gayville, eventually becoming president of a banking chain in 1910.[3] He married Harriett Louise Russell and they had two children.[4]

McMaster served in the South Dakota House of Representatives in 1911 and 1912 in the South Dakota Senate from 1913 to 1916. He was Lieutenant Governor from 1917 through 1920.

Winning the nomination and the election McMaster became Governor of South Dakota from 1921 through 1924. As a friend of the farming community, he fought to revise taxes and provide state guaranteed credit as well as waging a successful battle against high gasoline prices.[5]

United States Senator from 1925 through 1931. Defeated in his bid for re-election, he became Vice President, then President and finally Chairman of the Board of Dixon National Bank in Illinois.[6]

Aged 91 years, McMaster died in Yankton and was interred in Oakwood Cemetery, Dixon, Lee County, Illinois US.

• United States Congress. "William H. McMaster (id: M000563)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• National Governors Association
• William H. McMaster at Find a Grave