James Halley II
James Halley II | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Stirling, Scotland |
| Died | February 28, 1920 (aged 66) Battle Creek, Michigan, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Politician, banker, telegraph operator |
| Years active | 1870s–1920 |
| Known for | Mayor of Rapid City (1884–1886), member of Dakota Territorial Legislature (1889) |
James Halley II (January 7, 1854 – February 28, 1920) was a politician of Scottish origin who became active in American politics as a member of the Republican Party. He held the office of mayor of Rapid City between 1884 and 1886 and served in the last Dakota Territorial Legislature in 1889 prior to the division of Dakota Territory into two separate states.
Early life and telegraphy career
Halley was born in Stirling on January 7, 1854, and relocated to Washington, D.C. when he was two years old. He received training in telegraphy and spent three years as chief telegraph operator in Cheyenne, within the Wyoming Territory. After short periods living on the west coast and in Omaha, Nebraska, he returned to Cheyenne where he worked for a private telegraph company. In 1876, Halley founded a private telegraph line that linked Cheyenne with the Black Hills area, including towns such as Custer and Deadwood in Dakota Territory.
Settling in southern Dakota Territory
In 1879, Halley transitioned from telegraphy to banking by becoming a teller at the First National Bank of Deadwood. The following year, he co-established a bank in Rapid City, which later merged into the First National Bank of Rapid City in 1884. Halley served as cashier there before ascending to the presidency in 1898. He also held presidential roles at banks located in Hot Springs and Keystone. Apart from his banking career, Halley was president of the Rapid City Electric Light Company and took on the role of treasurer for the Rapid River Milling Company.
Political career
As a Republican leader, Halley was involved with the South Dakota Republican Party's central committee and chaired its Pennington County Central Committee. He attended the Republican National Convention twice, in 1892 and again in 1900. His political service included being mayor of Rapid City from 1884 to 1886 and serving on the Dakota Territorial Council during its final session in 1889.
Death and legacy
James Halley II passed away on February 28, 1920, in Battle Creek, Michigan.
Halley Park, named to honor him, was created west of Rapid City in 1915. In 1926, Alice Gossage played a key role in moving the Pap Madison Cabin to this park. Later, in 1939, the municipal government expanded Halley Park by acquiring additional land.