Daniel Loftus

October 14, 1921:  PIONEER MERCHANT IS LAID TO REST - Active in Retail Merchants Association Affairs Forty-Three Years’ Continuous Business life Closed with Death of D.H. Loftus

D.H. Loftus, pioneer merchant of De Smet, and a prominent citizen since 1879, died at his home here Monday.  Mr. Loftus had been in poor health for some time but his death was sudden and a shock to the community. He had been down at the store on Saturday and was not generally known to be in a critical condition.

Mr. Loftus was well known thruout the county and state after his many years in business. He was a member of the Retail Merchant’s association of the state, having been president, and a director for many years. He was also a member of the Minnesota association, and of the national, and was one of a group of about a hundred who formed an inner club of the national association, called the Asparagus Club. He was a member of the board of directors of the De Smet National bank since its organization and also of the board of directors of the Union Savings Ass’n , Sioux Falls. He had been a member of the A.O.U.W. since 1887.

Born in Scranton, Pa., March 9, 1853, Daniel Henry Loftus grew to manhood in his native city. Beginning as an apprentice he learned the trade of an iron mouldeer, which later took him thru several western states, Colorado, New Mexico and California.

In the spring of 1879 Mr. Loftus came to De Smet and established a general merchandise store with his old chum, ‘Billy’ Broadbent, as a partner. He soon bot him out and this business was continued in the same building up to the time of his death, a period of forty-three years. Thruout his lifetime as a merchant he carried the slogan, ‘The Quality Store’, and became widely known for the quality of the dress goods on his shelves. Beginning life with small means and little opportunity for education Mr. Loftus prospered financially and became very well read, the study of history especially interesting him

The home life of Mr. Loftus began with his marriage to Helen K. Cornwall, January 20, 1885, at Rochester, Minn. One child, Helen Maude was born to them, dying January 6, 1919. Mr. and Mrs. Loftus lived a quiet, useful life and their home  has always been one with an atmosphere of contentment and happiness.

Of a large family of brothers and sisters, but two sisters, Mrs. Riley, of Scranton, Pa., and Mrs. McDonald, of Binghamton, N.Y., survive their brother.

The funeral was held from the home Wednesday afternoon, Dean Edgar F. Siegfriedt, rector of Christ’s Church, Yankton, officiating, and the body was laid to rest beside that of his daughter in the De Smet cemetery.

Relativesand friends from a distance who attended the funeral of D.H. Loftus were: Mr. and Mrs. A.H. Cornwall of Watertown, Mrs. John Cornwall of Owatonna, Minn., Clifford Cornwall, Kenyon, Minn, Mrs. V.S.L. Owen, Minneapolis; Mr. and Mrs. F.W. Warring, Yankton; and Severt Johnson, Doland. A.B.Borz, representing Marshall Field and Co., came at the request of his firm, of whom Mr. Loftus had been a customer for practically all the time he had been in business.

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