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Walter G. Hubbard
Walter Hubbard arrived in Presho in
1909, only four years after the town was founded. Like many early
settlers, Walter played an important role in the development of the new
community. Born in Davis County in 1883, Walter was the third oldest
child of George Augustus and Margaret (McBride) Hubbard.
The elder Hubbards immigrated from
Keady, County Arnagh, Ireland (known today as Northern Ireland), to
Davison County. There the Hubbards farmed and raised their family of
nine children.
In 1909, Walter, known as W. G. to
both family and friends, headed west seeking economic opportunity in the
young town of Presho. Along with his younger brother, Jack, W. G. went
into business with a third partner, George Morris. A short time later,
the men acquired the dealership for International Harvester. In 1912, W.
G. bought out his partners. In addition to his business interests, W. G.
served as a mail carrier on the Route northeast of Presho. He carried
mail every other day, sometimes on horseback and sometimes by
motorcycle.
From 1913 until 1920, W. G., in
partnership with Glen Andis, sold IH equipment, Chevrolet cars, and
maintained a livery stable. The two partners also rented cars to
prospective land buyers and sometimes took potential buyers on a tour of
the area. The two dissolved their partnership in 1920 and W. G.
purchased property on the west side of main street where he added a
machine repair shop and dropped the auto dealership. During the 1930s,
W. G. also operated a cream buying station, sending the cream by train
to the Armour plant in Mitchell. For a period of almost 45 years, W. G.
maintained the IH dealership and the repair business. The business
prospered and provided training for four sons, Donald, Herold, Leslie,
and George, who later became IH dealers.
While serving as mail carrier, W. G.
met Alice Jacobson, a postal clerk in the Presho Post Office.
Alice's parents had immigrated from
Norway and homesteaded in the Presho area. |
Mrs. Walter
G. Hubbard
W. G. and Alice were married on May
19, 1915; they had seven children: Donald, Ralph, Gladys, Leslie, Ruth,
Herold, and George. Alice died in April, 1926, when George was only a
few days old. For the next several years, W. G. struggled to keep his
young family together, often with the help of his brothers and sisters
in the Mitchell area.
On January 7, 1931, W. G. and Emma
Anderson were married. Emma had worked in the Hubbard home for about two
years before the marriage.
Emma's parents had immigrated from
Norway in the 1880s and homesteaded about four miles south of Presho: W.
G. and Emma had three children: Louise, Dorothy, and John. Emma died in
February, 1953.
During his many years in Presho, W.
G. played an active role in community affairs. He served on the Presho
School Board for 19 years, 13 years as president. This work served as
testimony to his strong belief in education. He served on the city
council for many years and he and his family were
active members of the Presho Methodist
Episcopal Church.
After an active and productive life,
W. G. died after suffering a stroke in May, 1954. His legacy lives on
in the lives of his ten children.
Three children continue to live in
Presho: George and his wife, Doris, and son, Andy; Louise and husband,
Virgil Miller; and John. John retired to Presho after working over 20
years at Goodwill Industries in Sioux City, Iowa.
Taken from the Lyman County History
book, Early Pioneers
for someone researching the Hubbard family, 2004 |
