Henry August Muller Biography


	This biography appears on pages 190-193 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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				HENRY AUGUST MULLER.  

	Henry August Muller is widely and favorably known in Sioux Falls, 
South Dakota, and its surrounding territory as member of the legal firm 
of Muller & Conway, which has been in existence for many years. He has 
handled many important cases since he opened an office here and has 
proven an able lawyer of wide knowledge who readily makes himself 
master of a situation and who is ever loyal to the interests of his 
clients. Since May, 1901, he has also acted as United States referee in 
bankruptcy.  

	Mr. Muller was born in Cassville, Grant county, Wisconsin, August 
4, 1865, and is a son of William and Mary (Grattan) Muller, the father 
a native of Alsace-Lorraine, then a province of France, and the mother 
of Queens county, Ireland. William Muller came to America in 1849, at 
the age of twelve years, and now makes his home in Sioux Falls with his 
son, Henry A. The paternal grandfather was also named William Muller 
and was of French birth, while the grandmother was a German. Our 
subject is one of a family of five sons and three daughters, of whom 
four sons and two daughters are living.  

	Henry August Muller began his education in the common schools of 
Cassville, Wisconsin, at the age of five years, and continued there 
until 1873, when the family removed to Boll Homme county, Dakota, where 
the parents had preempted both a homestead and timber claim of one 
hundred and sixty acres each. Here Mr. Muller continued his education 
during two winters in a country log schoolhouse two miles from his 
home, his teacher being Maggie Hogan, who received in remuneration for 
her services the magnificent salary of fifteen dollars per month. 
Teachers at that time, however, even if they were not as well qualified 
as those of the present, gave the best in them to their pupils. In 
January, 1886, when he was about twenty-one years of age, he entered 
the Agricultural College at Brookings and after attending for five 
terms commenced teaching six miles south of Scotland, this state. He 
made his headquarters in Scotland and every day rode six miles to his 
school on horseback. At night he recited to Professor Alexander 
Strachan, of the Scotland Academy, in Latin, algebra, history, 
composition and rhetoric for two years, and in 1889 entered the State 
University of South Dakota at Vermilion, where he remained until March, 
1891.  

	In April of that year, while on the home farm, he was kicked in 
the face by a horse, this unfortunate accident confining him in a 
hospital for one year. After his recovery he came to Sioux Falls in 
March, 1892, and entered the law office of Powers & Conway, where he 
applied himself so diligently to the study of law that in November, 
1892, he was admitted to practice before the bar of the state. In the 
fall of 1893 the firm of Fawcett, Muller & Conway was formed, which 
lasted eight months and then became the firm of Muller & Conway, as it 
continues today. His partner, Daniel J. Conway, is an able lawyer of 
wide reputation. The firm has been one of the strongest in this part of 
the state and they have handled successfully a number of the more 
important cases in Sioux Falls.  

	On January 2, 1900, in Thorntown, Boone county, Indiana, Mr. 
Muller was united in marriage to Miss Alice E. Bassett, a daughter of 
Alonzo Bassett, who was an agriculturist by occupation and passed away 
in the '70s. He served as a sergeant in the Civil war with the Seventh 
Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry and was twice wounded. Mrs. Muller was 
born near Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, and after graduation from a normal 
school at Aurora, Illinois, was for a number of years a successful and 
popular teacher before her marriage. She later read law and was 
admitted to the bar of the state, enjoying prestige as an able 
practitioner. She now conducts a school of stenography and typewriting 
in Sioux Falls.  

	In his political views Mr. Muller is independent, endorsing 
candidates according to their qualifications and not according to their 
affiliations. He stands high in the Masonic order, being a Knight 
Templar and Shriner and having reached the thirty-second degree in the 
Scottish Rite. He is a member of the Dacotah Club. The feature standing 
out most strongly in Mr. Muller's career is his tenacious purpose in 
achieving success. All his attainments must be ascribed to his 
unflagging energy. He pursued his education under adverse circumstances 
and continued it in spite of handicaps. Yet he succeeded, and he has 
won for himself a place worthy of his efforts.