Philip A. Zollman Biography


	This biography appears on pages 870-871 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. I (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	PHILIP A. ZOLLMAN, who is successfully engaged in the practice of 
his profession in Alexandria, Hanson county, merits recognition in this 
work as one of the representative members of the bar of the state. He 
was born in Charlestown, Clark county, Indiana, on the 14th of October, 
1866, a son of Philip and Catherine (Schaid) Zollman, to whom were born 
eight children, of whom the following named six survive: Elizabeth, 
widow of Frederick Weigel, resides in Louisville, Kentucky; Amelia is 
the wife of Emil Achneman, of that city; William is a resident of 
Otisco, Indiana, as is also Lena, who remains at the parental home in 
that place; Louise is the wife of Herbert Gregory, of Wessington 
Spring, South Dakota; and Philip A. is the immediate subject of this 
sketch. The father was born in Germany and was there reared to the life 
of a farm. At the age of twenty-two years he emigrated to the United 
States and located in Clark county, Indiana, where he became a 
prosperous and influential farmer, there continuing to reside until his 
death, in 1879, at the age of sixty-two years. He was a Democrat in 
politics and his religious faith was that of the Lutheran church, of 
which his wife also was a devoted member. She likewise was born in 
Germany where she came with her parents to the United States as a young 
woman, the family locating in Louisville, Kentucky. She was summoned 
into eternal rest in February 1903, at the age of seventy-two years.  

	Philip A. Zollman remained at the parental home until he had 
attained his eighteenth year, having early begun to assist in the work 
of the farm, while his preliminary education was secured in the public 
schools of his native county. In 1886 he entered Drake University, at 
Des Moines, Iowa, where he continued his studies for three years, later 
being matriculated in the law department of the Iowa State University, 
at Iowa City, where he remained as a student for one year, being then 
compelled to discontinue his technical course by reason of lack of 
funds. In 1890 he entered the law office of C. W. Steele, of Coridon, 
Iowa, having previously been engaged in teaching in the district 
schools in order to secure sufficient money to enable him to continue 
his professional studies. Under the preceptor mentioned he continued 
his technical reading until he was thoroughly well informed in the 
science of jurisprudence, being admitted to the bar of Iowa in March, 
1893, upon examination before the supreme court of the state. In 
September of the same year he came to Alexandria and opened an office 
for the practice of his profession, his novitiate being of brief 
duration, since he soon proved his skill as an advocate and his 
conservative ability as a counsellor, gaining thus a hold upon popular 
confidence. He has built up an excellent practice and is one of the 
leading lawyers of the county, retaining a representative client age. 
He served as state's attorney for this county from 1894 until 1898, 
having been appointed to the office in the former year, to succeed 
Judge Frank B. Smith, and having been chosen as his own successor in 
the election of 1896. Prior to 1900 Mr. Zollman was affiliated with the 
Democratic party. He was a delegate to the Democratic state convention 
of 1896, held in Aberdeen, and after that time he had but little 
influence in the party councils, since it was his privilege in that 
convention to show the courage of his convictions and to cast the 
deciding vote which placed the party in the state in line of support 
for sound money, repudiating the silver heresy, the result being that 
the state was "turned down" in the national convention. In the McKinley 
campaign of 1900 Mr. Zollman identified himself unreservedly with the 
Republican party and wielded much influence in securing the success of 
the party in the state that year. He has been a zealous worker in the 
party cause and has been chairman of the Republican county central 
committee since the summer of 1902. Mr. Zollman is an enthusiastic and 
appreciative member of the Masonic fraternity, in which he has risen to 
the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite, being identified with 
the following bodies: Celestial Lodge, No. 37, Free and Accepted 
Masons; Mitchell Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; Mitchell Commandery, 
Knights Templar; Oriental Consistory, No. 1, Ancient and Accepted 
Scottish Rite, in Yankton, and El Riad Temple, Ancient Arabic Order of 
the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, in Sioux Falls. He is also identified 
with Alexandria Lodge, No. 36, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and 
with Mitchell Encampment, No. 9, of the same order, and also holds 
membership in Alexandria Camp, No. 2956, Modern Woodmen of America.