Edward C. Toy Biography

This biography appears on page 1386 in "History of South Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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EDWARD C. TOY, one of the representative business men of Andover, Day County, was born on a farm near Columbus, the beautiful capital city of thc state of Ohio, on the 18th of December, 1857, and is the youngest of the seven living children born to Harrison and Rebecca (Brobeck) Toy, the former being of English and the latter of German crescent.

Harrison Toy enlisted as a soldier in an Ohio regiment of volunteers soon after the outbreak of the war of the Rebellion and was in active service for three years, receiving his honorable discharge and returning to his home, where he died a few days later, as the result of injuries and hardships endured while in the army. The subject was a lad of about seven years at the time of his father's death, and passed his boyhood days principally on the home farm, while his educational training was secured in the public schools of Mount Vernon, Ohio, where he completed a partial course in the high school. He early became inured to the sturdy work of the farm, and after leaving school was successfully engaged in teaching for several terms, also clerking in a store, and being thus engaged until he had attained the age of twenty-one years.

In 1880 he went to Kansas City, Missouri, where he was associated with his brothers Frank, John and Seymour in the general store business until the latter part of the year 1884. In the spring of 1885 he came to Andover, Dakota Territory, and here has ever since maintained his home. He became identified with farming interests and also established himself in the general merchandise business, to which latter he is now giving his entire time and attention. though he is still the owner of an excellent farm in the county.

In politics he has ever accorded an unqualified allegiance to the Republican party, and was continuously incumbent of some one or other of the village and county offices until his election to the state senate, in 1899, since retiring from which dignified and responsible position he has not permitted his name to be used in connection with nomination for any office.

He and his wife are prominent members of the Methodist Episcopal church in their home town and enjoy the utmost popularity in the social affairs of the community. On the 13th of June, 1886, Mr. Toy was united in marriage to Mrs. Olive J. Curtice, of Andover, who was born in Stewartville, Minnesota being a daughter of William Smith, a representative citizen of that place. Mr. and. Mrs. Toy have two children, Victor and Horace, aged respectively fifteen and nine years at the time of this writing, in May, 1904.