N. J. Brockman Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1092-1093 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.



	N. J. BROCKMAN, vice-president and manager of the State Bank of 
Spencer, is a native of Germany, where he was born on the 26th of April, 
1853, being a son of Claus and Aple (Stuhr) Brockman, both of whom 
passed their entire lives in Germany.  

	The subject of this review was reared to manhood in his native 
land and was given the advantages of a collegiate education. He came to 
America in 1871, with but little financial reinforcement, and located in 
the city of Davenport, Iowa, where he was variously employed for several 
months. He then went to Tama county, that state, where he was identified 
with agricultural pursuits until 1877, when he took up his residence in 
the town of Traer, Iowa, where he engaged in the mercantile business, in 
which he was very successful, there laying the foundation for the 
distinctive prosperity which he today enjoys. In 1881 he engaged in the 
same line of enterprise in Gradbrook, Iowa, where he remained two years, 
at the expiration of which he disposed of his interests there and 
engaged in the lumber trade at Kingsley, that state, also buying and 
shipping grain. There he continued to make his home until 1901, when he 
sold his prosperous business and removed to Sac City, Iowa, where he 
resided until January 1, 1903, when he became associated with M. D. 
Gates in the purchase of the State Bank of Spencer, South Dakota, Mr. 
Gates being made president of the corporation. while the subject assumed 
his present office of vice-president and general manager. Mr. Brockman 
is a Republican in his political proclivities, while he and his wife are 
members of the German Lutheran church, and fraternally he is identified 
with the lodge, chapter and commandery of the Masonic order, and also 
with the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine.  

	In 1883 Mr. Brockman was united in marriage to Miss Bertha E. 
Gebauer, of Lyons, Iowa. One son has been born of this union, Ray, 
who is now a student in the Iowa State Agricultural College, at Ames.