Scanned from South Dakota History vol. 42, No. 3
Joe Kirby was born 5 October 1863 he arrived in Sioux Falls with his law degree in 1886, where he was highly lauded for his painstaking preparation of his cases. He never sought political office preferring to concentrate his abilities on his law practice as well as business ventures which were wide spread. [1] Mr. Kirby was a devout Catholic and took a staunch position against the lucrative divorce industry that developed during the first decade of the twentieth century, he also provided free legal representation for all the bishops headquartered in Sioux Falls. He was involved in the creation of a number of businesses as well, such as the Dakota Central Railway, and Western Surety Company that provided court bonds he and other lawyers needed to practice law.[2]
[1] (Kingsbury, History of Dakota Territory 1915)
[2] (Kirby 2012)