Dr. W. L. Hollister was born in Schoharie County, New York, January 9, 1837. He worked on a farm summers and attended school winters until he was eighteen, when he was sent to Fort Plain Seminary. After graduating he taught two terms, and at 22 commenced the study of medicine under Dr. Knapp, now superintendent of the Kansa insane asylum. He next attended a full course of lectures at Albany Medical College, from which he graduated in 1861.

He married Miss Mary Beaty, Jan. 9, 1862, and in 1867 came west and located in Lansing. They removed to Austin in 1871, as it was a more central location for his rapidly increasing business.

He has several times been coroner and county physician. In 1882 he was elected State Senator from Mower County. He took a prominent part in the memorable senatorial struggle that resulted in superseding Windom with D.M. Sabin. Hollister voted for Sabin when his own candidate, M. H. Dunnell, withdrew his name. While in the Senate he procured the passage of our excellent law regulating the practice of medicine, which has relieved the state of quacks and unlicensed practitioners, and the law in regard to infectious diseases. Early the next summer he resigned, to fill an appointment as U. S. revenue Inspector. This necessitated constant travel to look up and detect frauds on the revenue. After a year and a half he resigned his inspectorship and resumed his practice.

He has long been one of the examiners for pensions and has also been on the school board. He now has a fine practice and owns about 1500 acres of good land and a fine residence in the south part of the city. L. O. Hollister, his only living son, (two having died) is now cashier in the First National Bank, of Morris, Minn.

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Submitted to MnGenWeb by Darrel K. Waters