wickre

1746-1747

HANS O. WICKRE, one of the progressive farmers and stock growers 
of Day county, is a native of Norway, where he was born on the 5th of 
May, 1855, being a son of Jacob and Katerina (Holland) Wickre, who 
emigrated from Norway to the United States in 1868 and located in Benton 
county, Iowa, where they remained until 1886, when they came to South 
Dakota, being residents of Webster at the present time. The subject 
secured his early education in the excellent schools of his native land 
and was about thirteen years of age at the time of the family 
immigration to America. He remained on the home farm in Iowa, in the 
meanwhile attending the public schools at intervals, until 1884, when he 
came to South Dakota and located in Independence township, twenty-two 
miles northwest of Webster, Day county, where he took up government 
land, to which he has since added until he now has a finely improved 
landed estate of about one thousand acres. The entire ranch is being 
conducted under his personal supervision, and he raises large quantities 
of grain each year, the product running from twelve to fifteen thousand 
bushels annually, while he also makes a specialty of breeding Hereford 
cattle, from registered stock, usually having an average of two hundred 
head; also Percheron horses; and in particular the Duroc Jersey swine, 
in which line his stock is unexcelled in the state. He has a modern two-
story house on his farm and a specially large and well-equipped barn, 
which provides the best of accommodations for stock and produce. He is a 
man of much energy and good judgment and has attained success through 
his own efforts, while his enthusiasm in regard to the attractions and 
great resources of the state of his adoption is as marked as is the 
success which has attended his efforts since casting his lot here. He 
has shown a zealous concern in local affairs of a public nature, has 
held various township offices and also served as a member of the school 
board of his district. In 1888-89-91 Mr. Wickre was a member of the 
board of county commissioners, and in 1902 he was elected county 
treasurer, of which office he is incumbent at the time of this writing, 
while his continuance in the position by re-election in the fall of 1904 
is practically a foregone conclusion. He has maintained his home in 
Webster, the county seat, since 1895, and here he has one of finest and 
most modern residences in this section of the state, the same having 
been erected at a cost of seven thousand dollars and being a dwelling 
which would be a credit in any metropolitan center. Fraternally he is 
identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Ancient Order 
of United Workmen and the Modern Woodmen of America while he is one of 
the most prominent and popular members of the Old Settlers' Association 
of the county, of which he is president at the time this article is 
prepared. 

On the 22d of December, 1878, Mr. Wickre was united in marriage to 
Miss Bertha Strand, who was born in Norway, in 1877, whence she 
immigrated to America, having been a resident of Iowa at the time of her 
marriage. Of this union have been born one daughter and three sons. 
Janna is a member of the class of 1904 in Oberlin College, at Oberlin, 
Ohio, and Jacob, Sherman and Benjamin are attending the public schools 
in their home town. In politics Mr. Wickre is a staunch adherent of the 
Republican party, and troth he and his wife are members of the Lutheran 
church.