William Hoese Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1325-1326 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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	WILLIAM HOESE, one of the honored and influential citizens of 
Spencer, McCook county, was born in the village of Hinton, Plymouth 
county, Iowa, on the 28th of March, 1868, a son of William and Henrietta 
(Bandt) Hoese, of whose four living children he is the youngest, the 
others being as follows: Clara, who is the wife of William Lerch, of 
Sioux City, Iowa; Louisa, who is the wife of John Gudekenst, of State 
Center, Iowa; and Frank, who is a resident of Merrill, that state. 
William Hoese, Sr., was born in Launsberg, Germany, in 1822, and the 
wife was born in the same place, in 1832. There he was reared to 
maturity, learning the trade of miller, eventually becoming the owner 
and operator of an old-style mill in his native land, the motive power 
being furnished by a wind-wheel. He was married in his native town and 
there two of his children were born. In 1857 he emigrated with his 
family to America, landing in New York City and thence coming west to 
Iowa City, Iowa, where he remained a short time and then removed to 
Ponka, Nebraska, being the first white settler in that place, being 
engaged in farming in that locality for the ensuing five years, having 
purchased government land. In 1862 he passed through Sioux City, 
searching for an eligible location in Iowa, and though there was no 
flouring mill in the little village of Sioux City at the time, he 
decided to locate in Hinton, Plymouth county, where he erected the first 
grist mill in western Iowa, being one of the first settlers in that 
locality and anticipating the tide of immigration by several years. Six 
years later he disposed of his milling property and removed to Merrill, 
Plymouth county, in which locality he acquired extensive farming 
interests, eventually becoming one of the most influential 
agriculturists and stock growers in that section, where he continued to 
reside until his death, which occurred in 1894, his devoted wife having 
preceded him into eternal rest by about four months. He was a stalwart 
Republican in his political views, and while wielding distinctive 
influence in his party councils, he has never been an aspirant for 
public office. 

	William Hoese, the immediate subject of this sketch, secured his 
early educational training in the public schools, and at the age of 
fourteen was sent to the Northwestern Business College, in Sioux City, 
Iowa, where he was graduated in 1884. He then held a clerical position 
in a mercantile establishment in that city for one year, at the 
expiration of which, at the age of seventeen years, he came to 
Bridgewater, South Dakota, and engaged in the hardware business, in 
partnership with Theodore Montague. Three years later he disposed of his 
interests in this line and went to Sioux Center, Iowa, where he 
organized the bank of Sioux Center, of which he was made president, 
being at the time the youngest bank president in the state, as he had 
not yet attained his twenty-first year. In 1890 Mr. Hoese disposed of 
his banking interests and came to Spencer, South Dakota, where he 
effected the organization of the State Bank at Spencer, of which he was 
sole owner and officially cashier, his father and brothers permitting 
the use of their names on the corps of officials in order to comply with 
the technical provisions of the law. Mr. Hoese successfully conducted 
this enterprise until the 1st of January, 1903, when he sold the 
business, since which time he has not actively identified himself with 
any other enterprise, giving his attention to his various capitalistic 
interests. He has ever given an unequivocal allegiance to the Republican 
party and has shown a zealous interest in its cause, having been a 
member of the county central committee ever since taking up his 
residence in Spencer. While in no wise ambitious for political 
preferment, he was nominated for the state senate in 1898 and was 
elected, though the normal Democratic majority in the district was three 
hundred and sixty-one at that time. He gave a most creditable and 
satisfactory service in the upper house during the ensuing general 
assembly and fully justified the popular confidence reposed in him. He 
has also served in various local offices of trust, having been mayor of 
Spencer in 1894, and also serving as a member of the town council, as 
village treasurer and as a member of the school board. He is a member of 
Spencer Lodge, No. 147, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons; Salem Chapter, 
No. 34, Royal Arch Masons; Constantine Commandery, No. 17, Knights 
Templar, of Salem; and El Riad Temple of the Mystic Shrine, in Sioux 
Falls, while he is also afffiliated with the local lodges of the Modern 
Woodmen of America and the Ancient Order of United Workmen 

	On the 3d of September, 1895, Mr. Hoese was married to Miss Ida T. 
Janke, of Spencer, and they are the parents of two sons and one 
daughter, namely: William R., Frank H. and Clara T.