Herman A. Hildebrandt Biography


	This biography appears on pages 792-793 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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				HERMAN A. HILDEBRANDT.  

	Herman A. Hildebrandt, of Watertown, is filling the position of 
county treasurer of Codington county and has at other times held public 
office, the duties of which have ever been discharged with credit to 
himself and satisfaction to his constituents. He was born in Germany on 
the 26th of May, 1848, his parents being Peter and Johanna Hildebrandt, 
who in 1850 came with their family to the United States, settling first 
in Washington county, Wisconsin, where the father followed the 
occupation of farming. Both he and his wife are now deceased.  

	Herman A. Hildebrandt was but two years of age when the family 
came to the new world and in the public schools of Wisconsin he pursued 
his education and afterward entered upon railroad work as a telegraph 
operator, being thus engaged until 1886. Three years before that time, 
or in 1&83, he came to South Dakota, spending three years as an 
operator. At the end of that time he became head bookkeeper for Stokes 
Brothers of Watertown, in which capacity he continued for twelve years, 
a fact indicative of his thorough reliability and efficiency. His 
fellow townsmen, appreciative of his worth, then asked that he serve 
them in public office and in 1898 he was elected sheriff, to which 
position he was reelected in 1900, thus serving for two terms of two 
years each. In 1903 and 1904 he represented his district in the state 
legislature and in 1906-7 was registrar of the United States land 
office. On his retirement from that position he went upon the road as a 
traveling salesman, spending three years in that way, and in 1911 he 
was elected county treasurer, which position he has now filled for four 
years, being a most able, faithful and conscientious custodian of the 
public funds. Mr. Hildebrandt has ever regarded a public office as a 
public trust and it is well known that no trust reposed in him is ever 
betrayed in the slightest degree.  

	On the 12th of December. 1869, Mr. Hildebrandt was united in 
marriage to Miss Henrietta Schultz, a daughter of Christian Schultz, 
and they have become parents of a daughter and two sons: Ida, now the 
wife of F. Harraden, of Watertown; Henry J., who is living in Portland, 
Oregon; and Edward F. W., upon a farm in Codington county.  

	In politics Mr. Hildebrandt has ever been a stalwart republican 
and keeps well informed on the questions and issues of the day, so that 
he is able to support his position by intelligent argument. He stands 
for progress and improvement along every line that affects the welfare 
and upbuilding of his city, county and state. For twenty-three years he 
has been a member of the school board and has constantly advocated the 
adoption of progressive methods in relation to the work of the schools. 
Fraternally he is connected with the Masons both in the lodge and 
chapter and with the Elks and his religious faith is that of the 
Lutheran church. While born across the water, he is thoroughly American 
in spirit and interests, for, in fact, practically his entire life has 
been spent in the United States. He is, indeed, a public-spirited 
citizen and one to whom the state can ever look for practical 
assistance along the lines of general improvement.