Jacob Britzins Biography This biography appears on pages 1858-1859 in "History of South Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net. This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. JACOB BRITZINS is a native of Ohio and was born in the county of Tuscarawas. He spent an uneventful childhood at the place of his birth, and when nine years old removed with his parents to Minnesota, where he grew to maturity on a farm and received a practical education in the district schools of the locality in which the family lived. Reared a tiller of the soil and early becoming inured to the rugged duties of the farmer, he very naturally took to this kind of life, and ever since starting in the world for himself he has devoted his time and energies to the same, meeting with the success which industry and good management inevitably bring to their possessor. After living in Minnesota for a period of thirteen years, Mr. Britzins decided to seek more favorable opportunities further west; accordingly he came to South Dakota and took up a tree claim at Watertown, Codington county, and the year following entered the land on which that city now stands, also made some improvements at Big Stone, where his brother was then living. In the spring of 1880 he came to Brown county and located a pre-emption claim about two miles east of the site of Aberdeen, after which he hauled material from Watertown with which to erect a small, though comfortable habitation. Later he built a dwelling on the land now occupied by the flourishing city of Aberdeen which was the first improvement of any kind in that place, as he was the first actual settler. It was not long until settlers began to arrive. Until within the course of three or four years the country was pretty well taken up by an energetic class of people. It was in 1884 that Mr. Britzins entered the homestead on which he still lives, and his career from that time to the present demonstrates what a man of industry and thrift can accomplish when proceeding on the right plan, and which enabled him to take advantage of circumstances. By judicious management he added to his real estate at intervals until he is now the fortunate owner of four hundred and eighty acres of as fine land as the state affords, and on this farms quite extensively. Mr. Britzins cultivates the soil according to modern methods, uses the best implements and machinery obtainable and employs a number of hands to whom he pays liberal wages. His farm is well improved and in value compares favorably with the best cultivated land in the northeastern part of the state. Mr. Britzins has been an ardent supporter of the Republican party ever since old enough to cast a ballot, and he has been a delegate to a number of township and county conventions. He is a firm believer in revealed religion, and with his wife belongs to the Evangelical church at Aberdeen. Mrs. Britzins was formerly Miss Mary Mertar, and they have two children.