Frank Le Cocq, Jr. Biography


	This biography appears on page 1710 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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	FRANK LE COCQ, JR., of Harrison, Douglas county, was born in Marion 
county, Iowa, on the 19th of June, 1858, being a son of Frank and Mary 
(Van Gorkum) Le Cocq, both of whom were born and reared in Holland, 
where their marriage was solemnized. There they continued to reside 
until 1847, when they bade adieu to their fatherland and set forth for 
America, in whose early history their sturdy countrymen had played so 
important a part centuries before. They located in Marion county, Iowa, 
where Mr. Le Cocq took up government land, which he reclaimed and 
developed, being there identified with agricultural pursuits for a long 
term of years, though he gave his personal attention more particularly 
to mercantile business, having conducted a general store in Pella, that 
county For two terms he served as county recorder, being a Republican in 
politics, while both he and his wife were firm in the faith of the Dutch 
Reform church. Both are now residents of Harrison, Douglas county, South 
Dakota. 

	Frank Le Cocq, the immediate subject of this review, and at the 
present time incumbent of the office of railroad commissioner of the 
state, received his early educational training in the public schools of 
his native state, while he was signally favored in becoming also well 
educated in the Holland language, which he acquired in his home, where 
the vernacular of their native country was commonly utilized by his 
parents. After leaving school the subject engaged in the real-estate 
business in Sioux county, Iowa, having his headquarters in Orange City, 
where he remained until 1882, when he came to South Dakota and took up 
his permanent abode in Douglas county, whose organization was effected 
within that year. He was the projector and organizer of the colonization 
movement which culminated in the settlement of the western part of this 
county, including six townships, by Hollanders and descendants of 
Holland stock. Upon the organization of the county Mr. Le Cocq was 
appointed to the office of county surveyor, and in the same year he was 
elected a member of the board of county commissioners, in which capacity 
he continued to serve consecutively until 1890, in which year he was 
further honored by the people of the county by being elected to 
represent them in the legislature of the state. At the expiration of his 
term, in 1892, he was again called to the office of county commissioner, 
and he was incumbent of the same continuously until he was again called 
to a higher preferment, having been elected a member of the state board 
of railroad commissioners in 1900, for a term of six years, in which 
office he is giving a most discriminating and able administration. He is 
a stalwart advocate of the principles and policies of the Republican 
party and has been a delegate to every convention of the same since the 
organization of Douglas county, both under the territorial and state 
regimes. He and his wife are members of the Dutch Reform church in 
Harrison, in which attractive village they maintain their home. 

	On the 4th of August, 1884, Mr. Le Cocq was united in marriage to 
Miss Rhoda Brinks, who was born in Michigan, and they are the parents of 
eight sons.