C. J. Hazel Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1456-1457 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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	A photo of C. J. Hazel faces page 1456


	C. J. HAZEL, the president and general manager of the Golden Rule 
Company, who conduct the Golden Rule, one of the best equipped and most 
popular department stores in Aberdeen, was born in Odessa, southern 
Russia, on the 25th of December, 1864, and is a son of Jacob Hazel, who 
was born and reared in the same place and who came to the United States 
in t886 and took up his residence in Campbell county, South Dakota, 
where he took up government land and engaged in farming and stock 
growing. He is now residing on his fine ranch eighteen miles west of 
Eureka, Campbell county, and is one of the prominent and honored 
citizens of his community. Of the nine children in the family the 
subject of this sketch was the third in order of birth. He was educated 
in the excellent schools of his native land, where he remained until 
1885, when, at the age of twenty years, he came to the United States, 
making the present state of South Dakota his destination. He passed the 
first year in Menno, Hutchinson county, and then removed to Eureka, 
McPherson county, where he engaged in the general merchandise business, 
beginning operations upon a very modest scale. He continued the 
enterprise individually until 1888, when he admitted Frederick Hepperle 
and Jacob Sauter to partnership, this association continuing until 1889, 
when Mr. Sauter withdrew, while in 1892 Mr. Hepperle likewise retired 
from the firm. The business was thereafter continued under the title of 
C. J. Hazel & Company, the father of our subject being the silent 
partner. Most gratifying success attended the enterprise under this 
regime and the firm name was retained until 1897, when the concern was 
incorporated under the title of the Eureka Bazaar, and the establishment 
has since been in operation under this name while it controls a very 
large business, having a commodious and finely appointed store and 
adequate warehouse facilities. The subject still retains his interest in 
the business, having been president of the company until 1901, when he 
removed to Aberdeen and opened the Golden Rule dry goods store of Hon. 
T. F. Marshall, located in the Ward hotel building. Within the few 
intervening years the house has gained a place of unmistakable priority, 
while its stock has been materially increased and various departments 
added to the original dry-goods store. The store occupied by the company 
has a frontage of fifty feet and a depth of one hundred and thirty-six 
feet, while the basement, of the same dimensions, is utilized for the 
crockery, kitchen hardware, grocery and other departments. Mr. Hazel is 
president, treasurer and general manager of the company, and is known as 
an alert and discriminating young business men, while it is largely due 
to his efforts that the Golden Rule has risen so rapidly in popularity 
and gained place as one of the leading mercantile enterprises of the 
city. 

	In politics Mr. Hazel accords allegiance to the Republican party, 
and while a resident of Eureka he served four years as a member of the 
village council, and for an equal period as a member of the board of 
education. Fraternally he is identified with the Modern Woodmen of 
America and the Knights of the Maccabees. 

	On the 11th of July, 1892, Mr. Hazel was united in marriage to 
Miss Caroline Schamber, a sister of Frederick W. Schamber, in whose 
sketch, on another page of this work, is given an outline of the family 
history. Mr. and Mrs. Hazel have four children, Othillie, Higo, Elsie 
and Edgar.