Senator W.H. Officer, whose face is not only familiar to the citizens of this county, but to the politicians and business men of the state, was born near Chandlersville, Ohio, in 1822. From boyhood he developed a taste for mechanics and took a course in civil engineering. He worked with his father, who was a cabinet maker, until he was married at 20. He then went into the cabinet business for himself at Leeleysburg.

In 1856 he removed to Springville, Wis., where he made use of his knowledge of surveying for two years, fixing new boundary lines. He then leased a flouring mill and ran a saw mill in connection with it. Here he became an intimate friend of Jerry Risk. In 1862 Mr. Officer opened a large fanning mill factory, turning out several hundred every season. He came to Austin in 1868, and purchased a mill, in partnership with Gov. Rusk, who remained his partner until ten years later.

He always took a prominent part in politics and thoroughly believed in Republicanism. His friends recognized his powers, and twice elected him to the legislature of Wisconsin, and he was also senator from Mower county in the Minnesota State Senate for four years, where he took leading parts in the affairs at stake.

He was untiring in his efforts to build an Austin & Mankato railway, giving the enterprise much of his time and means. He died on Sunday, January 30, 1887, after an illness of three days.

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Submitted to MnGenWeb by Darrel K. Waters