William H. Turkopp, M. D. Biography


	This biography appears on page 1176 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 H. TURKOPP, M. D., is a native of the old Buckeye state, 
having been born in Columbus, Ohio, on the 12th of April, 1857, and 
being a son of Henry and Sophia (Thalke) Turkopp. Three other of their 
children are living, namely: Henry, who still resides in Columbus, as 
are also Christian and Alwine, the latter of whom is a teacher in the 
high school of Ohio's capital city. The father of the Doctor was born in 
Germany, about the year 1828, and came to the United States when he was 
a lad of about sixteen years of age, locating in Columbus, where he has 
ever since maintained his home, having eventually engaged in the 
commission business and having acquired a fortune through his well-
directed efforts. His wife was born in Wisconsin and died in 1895. 

	Dr. Turkopp was reared to maturity in his native city, where he 
received his preliminary educational discipline in the public schools. 
In 1876 he began the work of preparing himself for his chosen vocation, 
taking up the study of medicine and finally entering the Starling 
Medical College, now the medical department of the Ohio State 
University, in his home city, where he was graduated in the spring of 
1879, receiving the degree of Doctor of Medicine. Prior to entering the 
medical college he had passed three years in Europe, where he pursued a 
special course in chemistry, as a preliminary to taking up the other 
essential branches of the medical and surgical science. After his 
graduation he again went to Europe, where he took post-graduate medical 
study in the universities at Berlin, Leipsic, Munich and Vienna, being 
absent three years and thoroughly fortifying himself for the work of his 
chosen profession. He then returned to the United States and soon 
afterward took up his residence in Yankton, where he has since been 
engaged in the practice of his profession, and where he has attained a 
high reputation as one of the skilled and successful members of his 
profession in the state, securing a supporting patronage of 
representative order. So insistent have become the demands upon his time 
and attention that he has of late confined himself to an office 
practice, and he is frequently called in consultation on cases of 
critical character, his judgment in matters of diagnosis, treatment and 
surgical exigencies being held in high regard by his confreres, while 
such is his strict observance of professional ethics that he has the 
esteem and good will of all. 

	The Doctor is independent in his political views, having 
originally been aligned with the Democratic party, but his convictions 
in regard to matters of public polity led him to support McKinley on 
each occasion of his candidacy for the presidency. He served one year as 
coroner of Yankton, having been elected on the Democratic ticket and 
having the distinction of being the only candidate of that party to 
attain victory at the polls on that occasion. He is a man of scholarly 
attainments, is genial and sincere in his intercourse with his fellow 
men and is held in unequivocal esteem. 

	In the year 1882 Dr. Turkopp was united in marriage to Miss Anna 
Peiffer, of Lakeport, this state, and they are the parents of five 
children, namely: William, Nora, Sophia, Minnie and John, all of whom 
are acquiring their education in Columbus, Ohio, their father's native 
city.