Henry Rosenkranz Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1367-1368 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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	HENRY ROSENKRANZ, of Central City, was born in Germany, on October 
14, 1846, and came with his parents to the United States when he was nine 
years old. The family settled twenty miles east of Buffalo, Newt York, 
and there the father engaged in farming. Henry lived at home until he 
reached the age of sixteen, attending the district schools and aiding in 
the work on the farm. His mother died on June 12, 1902, and his father 
is still living on the New York homestead, being eighty-six years old. 
At the age of sixteen the son went to work in a brewery in Buffalo, and 
after four years of faithful service there secured a position as foreman 
in a similar establishment at Niagara Falls. He remained there until 
1868, then moved to Kansas City, Missouri, where he passed two years, 
again working in a brewery. In 1870 he went to Helena, Montana, and soon 
after his arrival at that place found employment in the mines at 
Unionville for a few months, then went into a distillery at Helena. In 
the following spring he turned his attention to prospecting in the 
neighborhood of that city, and during the summer joined a government 
survey under the direction of Professor Marsh. He was with this 
expedition four months when he was taken ill and returned to Helena, w~
here he was laid up eight months. In 1872 he again went to work in a 
brewery, this time at Helena, remaining there so employed until 1876. In 
July of that year he started for the Black Hills and arrived at Deadwood 
on August 10th. He at once found employment in drain ditching, working 
at this until the next spring. He then opened a retail liquor store at 
Central City. In September of that year, 1877, he went with several 
other men on a prospecting expedition through the hills west of the 
town. They encountered a band of hostile Indians who killed all their 
horses and one man named Thomas Carr. On his return from the disastrous 
trip Mr. Rosenkranz started a brewery at Central City in partnership 
with Dan Warner, and in 1880 he bought Mr. Warner's interest and became 
sole owner of the plant and business. He conducted the enterprise until 
1890, when he suspended operations and went into the coal and ice 
business, at the same time doing considerable prospecting in the 
vicinity of the town. The year 1893 was passed on the reservation where 
he had cattle, and in 1894 he reopened his saloon at Central City, 
continuing the business until April, 1903, when he again sold out. It is 
his present intention to retire from active business for a time and take 
a well earned and much-needed rest, spending some time in California. He 
is interested in a large extent of mining property in the Black Hills, 
and also owns considerable real estate at Central City and Deadwood. His 
place is properly among the old-timers, as he was an early settler here, 
and he is a valued member of the Pioneers' Society of the Black Hills. 

	On September 5, 1873, Mr. Rosenkranz was married at Helena, 
Montana, to Miss Louise Kaiser, a native of California. They had four 
children, Lizzie, Annie, Lillian and Clara. Their mother died on 
December 14, 1887, and on December 31, 1889, at Lead, this state, Mr. 
Rosenkranz married a second wife, Miss Mary Nudericker, a native of 
Austria. He belongs to the Odd Fellows at Deadwood and the Red Men at 
Central City.