Theodore Hesnard Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1553 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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	THEODORE HESNARD is an American by adoption and has been a citizen 
of the United States but a short time, his residence in this country 
covering a period of only twenty-three years. He was born April 17, 
1843, in Flers, Normandy, France, and grew to maturity in that city, 
receiving an excellent scholastic training the meanwhile, and while 
still young he began earning his own livelihood in the woolen mills of 
his native place. He became quite proficient in this line of work, which 
he followed as long as he remained in France, and by industry and 
thrift, not only provided comfortably for himself and those dependent 
upon him, but succeeded in laying up a surplus by means of which he was 
afterward enabled to emigrate to a country of greater advantages and 
larger opportunities than obtained in the land of his birth. Mr. Hesnard 
married and practically reared his family in Flers, and made that city 
his home-until 1881, in the spring of which year he came to America and 
proceeded as far west as Pierre, South Dakota, where his wife and 
children stopped temporarily, while he went further looking for a 
favorable place in which to locate. Staging it through to the Black 
Hills the same season, he took up land where Hermosa now stands, but 
through the dishonesty of a would-be friend he was cheated out of his 
valuable real estate. He then settled on a ranch about five miles east 
of the town to which he brought his family the following spring, and 
turned his attention to agriculture and cattle raising, in both of which 
pursuits he was totally inexperienced,! his previous mode of life in a 
large city having been in an entirely different direction. He soon 
accustomed himself to the new conditions, however, and addressing 
himself manfully to the task before him, made much better progress as a 
tiller of the soil than many who have devoted their lives to the 
pursuit. Mr. Hesnard improved his ranch by erecting a comfortable 
dwelling and good outbuildings, and with such assistance as his older 
sons could render, succeeded in due time in getting a substantial start. 
He managed his affairs in a systematic and business-like manner, and by 
continued toil and perseverance, in the course of a few years, had one 
of the best ranches in the locality. In 1889 he purchased several mining 
claims on Battle creek, in which he put flumes, preparatory to working 
the same, but receiving a flattering offer for the property, he sold it 
and resumed agriculture and stock raising, prosecuting the same with 
good success until 1898, when he disposed of his home place and bought 
the ranch five miles west of Hermosa on which he has since lived and 
prospered. Mr. Hesnard's success as a farmer and stock raiser has been 
marked and he now occupies a prominent position among the leading men of 
Custer county, similarly engaged. Mr. Hesnard is a man of wide 
intelligence and practical ideas, is well informed, not only on matters 
coming within his sphere of endeavor, but on public affairs and current 
events, and as a citizen commands the respect and confidence of all with 
whom he mingles. Emil E., the oldest son, is engaged in mining at 
Keystone, this state, and is one of the rising young men of that city. 
Arsene T., the second in order of birth, after finishing the common 
schools, attended the State Normal, at Spearfish, and later took a 
course in the college at Fremont, Nebraska, graduating from the latter 
institution. On finishing his education he engaged in teaching, in which 
he achieved distinguished success, and in the year 1899 he was elected, 
on the Democratic ticket, superintendent of the Custer county public 
schools, filling the position one term with a very creditable record. In 
1903 he accepted a professorship in the Colorado State Normal School, at 
Saguache, and at this time ranks with the. able instructors in that 
institution. The other sons, Edward and Theodore, assist their father on 
the ranch. Two daughters complete the family circle, namely: Amelia and 
Matilda.