Rev. Henry Straks Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1448-1449 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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	REV. HENRY STRAKS, A. M., at present pastor of the Reformed church 
of Harrison, South Dakota, was born of pioneer Dutch parents in a rude 
cabin in a clearing near Waupun, Wisconsin, on February 13, 1853. His 
father, John Straks, elder for over fifty years in the Reformed church 
of Alto, Wisconsin, came to America in 1846 and his mother, Johanna Van 
Wechel, came in 1848. Henry S. received his common-school education in 
the common schools of Wisconsin and at the same time by private 
instruction from his pastors, Revs. J. H. Karsten and R. Pieters. Then 
he attended a parochial school near his home for five years, where he 
completed an academic course and at the same time aided his teacher as 
tutor in the same school. In 1873 he became teacher in the same school, 
and taught very successfully the same pupils that attended with him for 
years as fellow pupils. Encouraged by his success as a school teacher, 
his father sent him for three years to the State Normal School at 
Oshkosh, Wisconsin. He graduated from the elementary department in 1875, 
and the following year finished the full course so nearly that he 
concluded to spend his time in teaching the next year. He taught the 
large village school of his school-boy days successfully for six years, 
carrying along with his usual work a class in advanced or academic work. 

	In 1877 the subject was married to Miss Priscilla Neevel, of Alto, 
Wisconsin, a granddaughter of Rev. G. Baay, the first pastor of his home 
church. For awhile he was interested at the same time in the mercantile 
business, at which he spent his spare time during vacation as well as 
when “school kept," but he soon gave that up. In 1885 he was engaged as 
principal of the high school of Waupun, Wisconsin, which position he 
resigned after two years in order to take up his long coveted course in 
theology to prepare himself for the active work of the Christian 
ministry. In 1891 he finished a three-years course in the Western 
Theological Seminary of the Reformed church in America, located at 
Holland, Michigan. June 21, 1891, he was installed and ordained as 
pastor of the Second Reformed church of Cleveland, Ohio, which church 
became very prosperous during his three years' service as almost their 
first pastor. This charge he resigned in 1894 to accept the pastorate of 
a larger church and a wider field of usefulness at Maurice, Iowa, which 
charge he resigned after five years in November, 1898, to become 
financial secretary and educational agent of an academy of the Reformed 
church at Orange City, Iowa, then heavily in debt. After clearing away 
this debt and teaching the mathematical branches the last half year to 
fill out the year for the principal. Rev. M. Kolyn, who had resigned, he 
resigned this work to accept the pastorate of the Reformed church of 
Harrison, South Dakota, August 1, 1901, which church he has served for 
nearly three years. Mr. Straks was stated clerk of the classis of Iowa 
for a number of years and is at present member of the board of domestic 
missions of the Reformed church in America, meeting regularly three 
times a year in New York city. He is also a member of the board of 
superintendents of the Western Theological Seminary at Holland, 
Michigan. For successful work in the gospel ministry and elsewhere the 
council of Hope College, Holland, Michigan, bestowed on him the degree 
of Master of Arts in June, 1900. Rev. H. Straks is the father of Rev. 
John H. Straks, now pastor of the Reformed church of Clymer Hill, 
Chautauqua county, New York.