Hildrech M. Hessenius Biography


	This biography appears on page 908 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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				HILDRECH M. HESSENIUS. 

	Hildrech M. Hessenius, proprietor of the business conducted under 
the name of the Hessenius Auto Company, was born in Vancleve, Iowa, May 
19, 1878. He is a son of Peter B. and Wobka (Hook) Hessenius. In the 
country schools of Cherokee county, Iowa, he acquired his early 
education and later attended Highland Park College in Des Moines. He 
afterward worked as a clerk in Sheldon, Iowa, for one year, following 
which he moved to Davis, South Dakota, and established himself in the 
hardware and machinery business. He was thus engaged for six years, or 
until July, 1909, when he moved to Sioux Falls and opened a garage on 
South Phillips avenue, removing three years afterward into a very fine 
modern garage erected especially for him at No. 125 West Tenth street. 
This is one of the largest and best equipped motor car establishments 
in South Dakota. A contributing factor in Mr. Hessenius, success is his 
selection of cars for his trade. He is agent in this territory for the 
E. M. F. and Flanders lines and the Hudson automobile. Another popular 
line will probably be added in the near future. Mr. Hessenius chose 
cars that were best adapted for use in this part of the west and the 
result has been a sales record that would not have been possible had he 
used less judgment in the all-important matter of selecting the cars 
which the people wanted most. The garage is equipped with everything 
that modern advancement in the motor car industry has produced and the 
shops are provided with all of the appliances the business requires. 
Mr. Hessenius has of late won considerable fame as a driver, having 
made the fastest time on the half-mile track at Canton in a five mile 
race in July, 1910, driving an E. M. F. He won first money and a large 
silver cup. 

	On the 22d of November, 1907, at Sioux Falls, Mr. Hessenius was 
united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Quigley and they have become the 
parents of a son, Peter, born October 12, 1909. Mr. Hessenius is a 
member of the Elks and Dacotah Clubs, is connected fraternally with the 
Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and gives his political allegiance to 
the republican party. A man of high integrity and unquestioned honesty, 
he is popular with a large circle of friends and enjoys the respect and 
esteem of all with whom business or social relations bring him into 
contact.