William W. Waddell (b. 1844, Freeport, Illinois) served as the sheriff of Codington County, South Dakota, after a long and distinguished career. A Civil War veteran, Waddell enlisted in the 46th Illinois Volunteer Infantry in 1861 and served until 1866, participating in key battles such as Fort Donelson, Vicksburg, and Shiloh. After the war, he worked as a bookkeeper before settling in Codington County in 1883. Waddell served as deputy sheriff for nine years before being elected sheriff in 1902. He was known for his effectiveness and courage in law enforcement. Waddell married Mittie Whitford in 1899, and they had two children.
William W. Waddell, the popular and efficient sheriff of Codington County, is a native of the state of Illinois, having been born in the city of Freeport on the 11th of September, 1844, and being a son of William G. and Ann Eliza (Donaldson) Waddell, the former of whom was born in Ohio and the latter in Indiana, while both were of sterling Scottish lineage. The father of our subject was a successful contractor, being engaged in business for a number of years in Freeport and later in the city of Chicago.
The subject of this review secured his educational discipline in the public schools of his native town, being graduated from the high school, after which he was employed as a bookkeeper until there came the call to higher duty, when the integrity of our nation was thrown into jeopardy through armed rebellion. Responding to President Lincoln’s first call for volunteers, he enlisted on the 8th of May, 1861, at Freeport, as a private in Company A, Forty-sixth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, with which he proceeded to the front, while at the expiration of his three months’ term he re-enlisted in the same company and regiment, with which he continued in active service until January 20, 1866, when he was mustered out at Baton Rouge, Louisiana, having served faithfully and valiantly during practically the entire period of the great civil conflict, the last year being detached as clerk at brigade headquarters. He participated in many important battles, including those of Fort Donelson, Vicksburg, and Shiloh, the siege and capture of Mobile, etc., his regiment being under command of Generals Grant and Canby at different periods.
After the close of the war, Mr. Waddell returned to Illinois, where he was connected with various enterprises as a bookkeeper until 1883, when he came as a pioneer to Codington County, where he has ever since maintained his home, while he has contributed his quota to the progress and material upbuilding of this attractive section of the state. For nine years he held the position of deputy sheriff of Codington County, and at the expiration of this period, in the fall of 1902, he was elected sheriff as the candidate on the Republican ticket, being a staunch advocate of the principles of the “grand old party,” with which he has been identified since he attained his legal majority. He had done most effective work as deputy and since entering upon the office of sheriff he has materially added to his prestige as an able and discriminating officer, being alert and imbued with great daring and courage, so that his name is one which is held in fear by malefactors, in whose apprehension he has been most successful. He is one of the popular citizens of Watertown and the county, and is prominent in both official and social circles, while he commands the respect of all who know him. Mr. Waddell has been identified with the Masonic fraternity for the past thirty years and has attained the degrees of the lodge, chapter, council, and commandery.
In Kasota, Minnesota, on the 22nd of December, 1899, Mr. Waddell was united in marriage to Miss Mittie Whitford, who was born and reared in Minnesota, and they have two children, Hazel J. and Willard W.
Source: Robinson, Doane, History of South Dakota: together with mention of Citizens of South Dakota, [Logansport? IN] : B. F. Bowen, 1904.