Representative from Woodbury county, was born April 3, 1859, in the village of Sir John's Run on the banks of the Potomac river in Virginia. His ancestors settled in the historic Shenandoah Valley of Virginia when that country was yet a wilderness and in this famous region he grew to manhood. His parents were poverty stricken by the fortunes of war and he taught school while yet in his teens, working his way in this manner through Shepherds college located in the north end of the valley at Shepherdtown about ten miles from Harper's Ferry. In his early manhood he took to heart Horace Greeley's advice and went west to "grow up." Located at Sioux City, Iowa, in 1884 and entered the nursery and seed business which occupation he has followed ever since, being a member of the well known seed firm of The Sioux City Seed Company. He was married in Sioux City to Alice E. Smith, daughter of Captain B. F. Smith, a pioneer settler of that city, where she was born and raised. Two children have blessed their married life, the oldest a daughter, now Mrs. R. D. Wilde of Mitchell, S.D. The other, a son, Berkeley S. Michael, at present a student of Princeton University. The family are all members of the Episcopal church. Mr. Michael, having been born and raised in the "solid south," has always adhered to the democratic faith, having been elected representative from Woodbury county on the democratic ticket in 1914.