William Handley, born on October 27, 1853, in Dumfriesshire, Scotland, was the son of James and Mary (Barrett) Handley. Trained as a stone cutter, he served his apprenticeship in Shapfell, England, before immigrating to the United States in 1875. Handley worked across various states, including Maine, Rhode Island, and Minnesota, before settling in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, in 1883. He managed and eventually co-owned the East Sioux Falls Granite Company. On October 27, 1901, Handley married Frances Ann Jones of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The couple resided in East Sioux Falls.
William Handley is a sturdy Scotsman and is endowed with those sterling characteristics so typical of the race from which he is sprung. He was born in Dumfriesshire, Scotland, on the 27th of October, 1853, being a son of James and Mary (Barrett) Handley, both of whom passed their entire lives in the fair land of hills and heather, the father having been a laborer by vocation. Our subject received his educational discipline in the excellent schools of his native place, and learned in his youth the trade of stone cutting, becoming a very skillful artisan in the line, having served his apprenticeship in Shapfell, Westmoreland County, England, where he remained until 1875, when he immigrated to the United States, locating near Rockland, Maine, where he remained one year, employed at his trade, after which he was similarly engaged for three years at Westerly, Rhode Island. He then came to the west and located in St. Cloud, Minnesota, and one year later entered the employ of the Northern Pacific Railroad Company, working at his trade in connection with the construction of the line through the state of Washington, and having been thus engaged at the time when the lines from the east and west were joined and the important event celebrated by the driving of the golden spike, in honor of the completion of the splendid enterprise. In March, 1883, Mr. Handley came to Sioux Falls, where for seven years he had charge of the operation of the Drake Polishing Works, and at the expiration of this period he located in East Sioux Falls and assumed the management of the works of the East Sioux Falls Granite Company, of which he eventually came into control, conducting the enterprise individually for three years, and then, in 1895, entering into partnership with Wiley W. Lowe, under the firm name of Lowe & Handley, and they have since continued the business most successfully, having a well-equipped plant and turning out work of the highest grade, both for architectural and cemetery purposes.
In politics Mr. Handley is a staunch advocate of the principles of the Republican party but has never sought office. Fraternally he is affiliated with the Ancient Order of United Workmen Lodge, and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, at Sioux Falls.
On the 27th of October 1901, Mr. Handley was united in marriage to Miss Frances Ann Jones, who was born and reared in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, being a daughter of John and Fannie Jones, who are now residents of Sioux Falls. No children have been born of this union. Mr. and Mrs. Handley have a pleasant home in East Sioux Falls and enjoy marked popularity in the social circles of the community.
Source: Robinson, Doane, History of South Dakota: together with mention of Citizens of South Dakota, [Logansport? IN] : B. F. Bowen, 1904.