The following biography was previously posted to the Minnesota GenWeb archives. Doug Peterson Memorial Record of Southwestern Minnesota 1897 Lewis Publishing Company Chicago, Illinois WILLIAM H. ROUNSEVILLE A man's reputation is the property of the world. The laws of nature forbid isolation. Every human being submits to the controlling influence of others, or as a master spirit wields a power either for good or evil on the masses of mankind. There can be no impropriety in justly scanning the acts of any man as they affect his public and business relations. If he is honest and eminent in his chosen field of labor investigation will brighten his fame and point out the path that others may follow with like success. From the ranks of the quiet, persevering yet prominent citizen-prominent on account of what he has done in commercial circles-there is no one more deserving of mention in a volume of this character than William H. Rounseville, who is also one of the honored pioneers of Nicollet county. He was born October 2, 1840, in Tompkins county, New York, and is a son of Daniel and Amy (Lindsay) Rounseville. The birth of the father also occurred in the same state, while the paternal grandfather, Ebenezer Rounseville, was a native of Massachusetts and of French descent. Our subject was but thirteen years of age when brought to Nicollet county, Minnesota, and in the public schools of St. Peter finished his literary education, which was begun in the Empire state. On laying aside his studies he assisted his father in the cultivation and improvement of the home farm until attaining his majority, when he started out in life on his own account as an agriculturist. For many years previous to his removal to Minnesota, the father had engaged in general merchandising, but here he gave his exclusive attention to his farming interests until 1878, when he came to St. Peter. In that city his wife died in 1893, but he is still living at the ripe old age of seventy-eight years. After carrying on agricultural pursuits for a short time, Mr. Rounseville, of this review, came to St. Peter, where he became interested in the lumber business in connection with C. Snyder & Damren. On the retirement of Mr. Dainren in 1874 the firm name was changed to Rounseville & Snyder, and later our subject bought out his partner's interest, becoming sole proprietor. He was successfully engaged in the lumber trade until 1894, during which time he was largely interested in pine lands in Minnesota and Wisconsin, owned a large sawmill and engaged extensively in the manufacture of lumber. From this business he realized a handsome profit, but having an opportunity to dispose of all his lumber interests at a satisfactory price he sold out in 1894. Much of his pine land was located in Carlton county, Minnesota, and he also owned a large lumber-yard at St. Peter. In 1893 Mr. Rounseville became a stockholder in the St. Peter Furniture Company, which was incorporated in 1891, but the business was established in 1855 by William Klein, who successfully conducted it until his death in 1889. The present officers are William H. Rounseville, president; William Hall, secretary, and J. C. Hulet, treasurer and manager. The firm manufactures tables, stands, chairs, etc., for which it finds a ready sale, and also turns out fine stair work and house trimmings to order. Mr. Rounseville also owns five fine farms in Nicollet and Lesueur counties, of about seven hundred acres, which he rents, and also a substantial and pleasant residence in St. Peter. In connection with his other business he was largely interested at one time in threshing machines, owning and operating twelve steam threshers of the Advance style, manufactured at Battle Creek, Michigan. In 1879, in Nicollet county, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Rounseville and Miss Rebecca Goodman, a native of Goodhue county, Minnesota, and a daughter of John Goodman, a native of England. They have a host of warm friends throughout entire community, and are highly esteemed and respected by all who know them. Mr. Rounseville is a public-spirited, enterprising citizen, taking an active interest in everything tending to promote the welfare, of big town and county, and the success he has achieved throughout life is justly merited. (pages 252-253)