Joseph Wertherer Biography This biography appears on page 1880-1881 in "History of South Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net. This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. JOSEPH WERTHERER, one of the most successful and popular business men of Potter county, claims the "right little, tight little isle” of England as the place of his nativity and comes of staunch old English lineage. He was born in Staffordshire, and was reared to maturity in his native county and received a common-school education. At the age of twenty-one years he severed the home ties and came to America, locating in the city of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Six months later he moved to the Hocking valley of Ohio, where he was employed in connection with the mining of coal in that famous district about three years. He then went to the Indian territory, where he devoted three years to prospecting and mining and met with fair success. In the spring of 1888 he came to South Dakota, making Lebanon his destination, and forthwith engaged in farming and stock growing in this vicinity. In 1890-91, leaving his family at the home in this county, he was in Wyoming, passing the two years at Cambria, near Newcastle, where he was foreman in the coal mines, having one thousand workmen under his supervision. On his return to Lebanon he established himself in the general merchandise business, in which he has since successfully continued, having a large and well-equipped store and controlling an extensive trade. He has accumulated a large amount of real estate in the town and county, his fine ranch being devoted to diversified agriculture and to the raising of live stock of excellent grade. In politics he is an ardent Populist and is one of the influential men in its local contingent, having been chairman of the county central committee of the party for the past ten years and having shown much skill in the maneuvering of his forces in the various campaigns. Fraternally the subject is identified with the Ancient Order of United Workmen and the Modern Woodmen of America. Mr. Wertherer was united in marriage to Miss Emily Dudley, who, like himself, was born and reared in Staffordshire, England, and of this union have been born seven children.