Nicholas P. Lang Biography This biography appears on pages 301-302 in "History of Dakota Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. IV (1915) and was scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net. This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. This file is part of the SDGENWEB Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://usgwarchives.org/sd/sdfiles.htm NICHOLAS P. LANG. Nicholas P. Lang, living at Belle Fourche, is filling the office of auditor of Butte county. He was born at Mankato, Minnesota, July 27, 1876, and is the youngest in a family of eight children whose parents were Mathias and Hannah (Hanner) Lang, both of whom were born at Treves, in the Rhine province of Germany. The father's birth occurred May 22 1832, and the mother's natal year was 1838. She died January 14, 1877, when her son Nicholas was but a few months old, thus terminating a married life which was begun in Germany in 1863. Mathias Lang had come to the new world with his father in 1847 settling in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, after which he engaged in farming in that state. In 1861, however, he returned to Germany and was there married in 1863. The following year he took his wife to Canada but after a year spent in that country came again to the United States settling at Madison, Wisconsin, among its early residents, being one of the first men to drive a team into that city. There he remained until the spring of 1876, when he traveled overland to Mankato, Minnesota, by way of Prairie du Chien. He remained at Mankato until called to his final rest in 1904. Nicholas P. Lang pursued his education in the schools of his native city and in a normal school, from which he was graduated with the class of l 897. When seventeen years of age he started out to make his own way in the world, working for others, and subsequently he resumed his interrupted education. Later he engaged in teaching school in Minnesota for a number of years, spending three years as a teacher at Walnut Grove, one year at Blakely, in Scott county and four years at Buhl, Minnesota. He afterward removed to Belle Fourche where he took up the profession of teaching, being chosen superintendent of the city schools, in which capacity he continued for eight years. All through this period he made continuous progress in connection with his school work, introducing various improvements in methods of study and instruction. He studied closely the opportunities for advancing the interests of the schools and his work was attended with excellent results. He resigned, however, in 1914, when he homesteaded a mile south of Newell and turned his attention to farming, which pursuit he followed until elected to his present office. In addition to owning farm lands in this state he likewise has city property in Belle Fourche but he devotes his entire time to the duties of his position as county auditor of Butte county and is making an excellent record by reason of his capability and fidelity. Mr. Lang has been married twice. On the 27th of November, 1900, he wedded Miss Jennie Mosier, who was born at Janesville, Minnesota a daughter of William and Julia (Beers) Mosier. The father is still residing in Janesville but the mother passed away in 1900. The death of Mrs. Lang occurred at Buhl, Minnesota, December 14, 1905. She left two children: Robert, born January 23, 1902; and Dorothy, January 12, 1903. On the 23d of July, 1907, Mr. Lang was married to Miss Mabel De Vore, who was born near Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. Her parents became residents of Duluth, Minnesota, but never removed to South Dakota. The father, who was an attorney by profession, has passed away but the mother still makes her home in Duluth. To Mr. and Mrs. Lang has been born a son, James De Vore, whose natal day was June 28, 1912. Mr. Lang belongs to the Masonic fraternity and the Knights of Pythias lodge, of which he is a past chancellor. He is president of the Belle Fourche fire department and a member of the board of directors of the Commercial Club. In a word, he is interested in all that pertains to the welfare and progress of his community and his cooperation has been an important element in advancing its interests along lines working for the permanent as well as the present good of the town.