O. W. (Oscar William) Coursey

Born in Illinois on April 10, 1873, Oscar William Coursey later made his home in Mitchell, South Dakota, where he lived for many years. Available records indicate that he died in South Dakota on June 11, 1946.

Coursey was an energetic author, editor, and compiler whose work ranged widely across history, education, biography, and regional literature. His books include Who's Who in South Dakota, Literature of South Dakota, The Philippines and Filipinos, a biography of General William Henry Harrison Beadle, and a history of Dakota Wesleyan University. Much of his writing focused on preserving South Dakota’s people, institutions, and cultural life in print.

What makes his work interesting today is its mix of reference value and local pride. He wrote in a way that tried to document a growing state while also celebrating it, which makes his books useful not only as reading material but also as snapshots of how South Dakota saw itself in the early twentieth century.