Edward O. Hanschka Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1660-1661 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	EDWARD O. HANSCHKA, of Deadwood, was born on March 7, 1863, in 
Germany, and is the son of Frederick and Caroline Hanschka, also natives 
of the fatherland, where the father was an industrious and well-to-do 
blacksmith. Edward remained at home until he reached the age of 
seventeen, receiving a common-school education and serving an 
apprenticeship at the trade of his father. In 1880 he came to the United 
States and, passing by the allurements of the cultivated east, made his 
way direct to the Black Hills, locating at Central City, where he 
secured employment from the Homestake Mining Company at its Terry mine 
near that town, he to do blacksmithing there for the company. After five 
years' service to this company he bought a shop of his own at Central 
City and began business for himself. The shop he purchased had an 
interesting history. It was originally owned by John Belt, one of the 
pioneers of the Hills. and many important events in the early history of 
this section were started, discussed and planned under its rude roof. He 
was in business at this stand two years, then when the town of Carbonate 
was located he moved the shop to that point, being one of the founders 
and locators of the town. There he remained two years, and during this 
time was busily employed running his shop, supplying timber and 
limestone for the Iron Hill Mining Company, and hauling its ore from the 
mines to the smelter by contract. In the spring of 1888 he moved to 
Deadwood and went into the employ of the Golden Reward Mining Company as 
master mechanic, especially for the purpose of erecting for that company 
the first mill put up in the Hills except the Homestake stamp mills. He 
remained with this company a year, the mill being destroyed by fire at 
the end of that time; and as it was impossible for the company to 
rebuild it until the next year, he again accepted a berth in the 
blacksmithing department of the Terry mines of the Homestake Company, at 
Deadwood. As soon as the Golden Reward Company was ready to rebuild its 
mill he returned to its aid and constructed the plant, after which he 
worked for the company until 1892. He then took an engagement to build 
the Little B smelter for the Deadwood & Delaware Smelting & Refining 
Company, and when this was finished, he built for the same company its 
Big B smelter, being master mechanic in the erection of both. After the 
completion of the Big B he took charge of its blacksmithing department, 
of which he had the management two years. In 1895 he entered into a 
contract with the company to supply it with limestone and do all its 
hauling. Since then he has continued to furnish the limestone needed in 
the operations of the company, which has averaged nine thousand tons a 
month. In 1900 he first became interested in mining for himself, and the 
next year he bought one thousand acres of mining land. That same year he 
organized the Standard Mining Company of Deadwood, of which he is the 
principal stockholder and the vice-president and manager. The company at 
once erected a mill on its property, which is located in the Ragged Top 
district, and its operations have been active and eminently successful, 
it being beyond doubt one of the best mining properties in the Hills at 
this time. In 1903 Mr. Hanschka bought other large tracts of mining land 
on Elk creek seven miles south of the Homestake properties. These were 
known as the Hogan &-Anderson and the Scandinavian properties, but he 
has rechristened them, calling them together the New Bonanza, and it is 
his intention to work them separately from his other enterprises. In the 
same summer he built a mill on them, and the results so far obtained 
justify him in the belief that they will be as rich in yield as the 
Standard. He has in addition several small mining interests and is a 
stockholder in some of the larger companies. In 1898 he started an 
industry in raising and handling cattle, running his stock on the Grand 
river north of this locality where he bought ranch land. In this venture 
he has been successful and is continually enlarging his business. 

	On January 1, 1889, Mr. Hanschka was married, at Deadwood, to Miss 
Minnie Walking, a native of Germany. They have one daughter, Emma C. 
Since his marriage the subject has made his home at Deadwood, where he 
has a fine residence. He belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America here, 
and also to the Masonic order, having solved the mysteries of the York 
Rite through the commandery and those of the Scottish Rite to and 
through the thirty-second degree.