Agust Goetz Biography


	This biography appears on pages 63-64 in "History of Dakota Territory" 
	by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. IV (1915) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				AUGUST GOETZ.  

	August Goetz, a pioneer contractor and builder of Yankton, has 
been a resident of South Dakota since 1882 and in the intervening years 
to the present has been prominently associated with the material 
progress and improvement of city and state. In fact throughout South 
Dakota are seen many evidences of his handiwork in the churches, public 
buildings and fine residences. He was born in Wiesbaden, Germany, 
August 10, 1&55. His father, Philip Goetz, came to America in 1881 but 
after a short residence in Milwaukee and Yankton returned to Germany in 
1884, where he devoted practically his entire life to the contracting 
business. His wife bore the maiden name of Katrina Seifert and both are 
now deceased. They were the parents of six children, of whom three are 
yet living, a brother and sister of our subject being still residents 
of Wiesbaden.  

	August Goetz acquired his education in the public schools of the 
fatherland and after putting aside his text-books entered upon a three 
years' apprenticeship at the carpenter's trade. He received no wages 
for his services but on the contrary followed the German custom of 
paying one hundred dollars per year for the privilege of learning the 
business and at the same time provided for his own support. He 
continued to work at the carpenter's trade in Germany until reaching 
his twenty-sixth year, when in 1881 he bade adieu to friends and native 
land and sailed for America. For a year thereafter he was employed at 
his trade in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and in 1882 he arrived in Yankton, 
Dakota Territory, where he began contracting and building on his own 
account in a small way. He soon proved that ability entitled him to a 
liberal share of the public patronage and annually his business grew in 
volume and importance. He is today one of the best known and most 
extensive builders in the state, standing among the leaders in his 
profession in South Dakota. He has made a special feature of church 
construction and there are scores of the finest church edifices in 
South Dakota that stand as monuments to his skill and his knowledge of 
the rules that govern architecture. To him have been awarded contracts 
for the erection of many of the state's fine business blocks, public 
institutions and beautiful residences. He combines beauty with utility 
and convenience and never sacrifices quality of workmanship or material 
in the completion of a structure. Aside from his contracting business, 
which is the largest in this section of the state, Mr. Goetz is quite 
extensively interested in Yankton real estate and is the owner of 
considerable timber land in the Black Hills country.  

	On the 22d of May, 1880, Mr. Goetz was united in marriage in 
Germany to Miss Elisa Blum and they became parents of six children, 
four of whom are yet living. Two of the sons, Emil and Henry, are 
associated with their father in business. The former married Stella 
Post and the latter wedded Ilene Brown and they have one son, Willard. 
Elizabeth is the wife of T. W. Sallet, editor of the Freie Presse of 
Aberdeen, South Dakota, by whom she has two children Fritz and Hans. 
Helen, the youngest of the family, is at home.  

	The religious faith of the family is that of the Congregational 
church, in which Mr. and Mrs. Goetz hold membership. He belongs also to 
the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and the Independent Order of 
Odd Fellows. He exercises his right of franchise in support of the men 
and measures of the republican party and has served on the city 
commission as commissioner of streets for two years, in which 
connection he has done important work for the improvement of the public 
highways, a feature the value of which cannot be overestimated at the 
present day, when the good roads movement looms large on the public 
horizon. He has also taken an active interest in educational matters 
and has been one of the consistent supporters of Yankton College. He 
stands today as one of the foremost residents of his city by reason of 
his cooperation in public affairs which work for material development 
and civic progress and also by reason of his business enterprise, which 
has made him a leader in building circles, with an unassailable 
reputation for honor and reliability.