Joseph Henry Bechtold Biography


	This biography appears on pages 325-326 in "History of Dakota 
	Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. V (1915) and was 
	scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				JOSEPH HENRY BECHTOLD. 

	Joseph Henry Bechtold, proprietor of a first class jewelry 
establishment in Sioux Falls, was born in St. Joseph, Minnesota, August 
5, 1874. He is a son of John George and Theresa (Vogele) Bechtold, the 
former of whom died in 1900, at the age of seventy-one, and the latter 
in 1910. The father was a native of Baden, Germany, and came to America 
in 1851. He left four sons and three daughters, one of the latter being 
Sister Paula at St. Joseph,s Convent, St. Joseph, Minnesota. 

	Joseph H. Bechtold acquired his education in the public schools 
of St. Joseph, Minnesota, and later attended St. John's University at 
Collegeville, Minnesota, graduating from the commercial department in 
1892. In the fall of that year he entered a jeweler's store in St. 
Cloud, Minnesota, starting at a dollar and a half per week in order to 
learn the trade. At the end of four and one-half years he moved to 
Duluth, Minnesota, and followed the jeweler's trade there for three 
years, after which he came to Sioux Falls and bought the jewelry 
business with which he has since been identified. He is recognized as a 
man of integrity and honor, and his straightforward business methods 
have gained him the confidence of the public. 

	Aside from his jewelry business Mr. Bechtold has built up an 
optical business by far the largest in the Dakotas, his store being the 
first and only exclusive optical store in this state. He may rightfully 
be called the father of optometry in South Dakota, as it was he who 
called together the opticians and optometrists of the state. The first 
meeting was held in Sioux falls in October. 1903. Mr. Bechtold called 
the meeting to order and nominated his former partner, W. H. Fritz, as 
the first president of the South Dakota Association of Optometrists, 
which was then formed. Mr. Bechtold has been affiliated with the 
association ever since and in 1911 served as its secretary. In that 
year the first determined effort was made to have enacted an optometry 
law requiring all persons wishing to practice optometry to pass an 
examination before the state board of examiners. On account of the 
demands made upon him by his steadily growing business Mr. Bechtold was 
forced to resign his position as secretary of the association, but 
continued to work for the passage of the law. Eventually Senator Cone, 
of Sioux Falls, succeeded in bringing about the enactment of the bill 
into a law and Mr. Bechtold was jubilant when he received word that it 
had passed and had received the governor's signature. 

	On the 17th of October, 1901 at Duluth, Minnesota, Mr. Bechtold 
was united in marriage to Miss Mary Gertrude Nolan and they have become 
the parents of six children: Leo Vincent, Oswald John George, Mary 
Theresa, Ursula Marcel, Urban Ignatius and Paul Benedict. 

	Mr. Bechtold is a member of the Roman Catholic church and is 
connected fraternally with the Knights of Columbus. Those who know him 
recognize in him many sterling traits of character and his business 
ability is such as will undoubtedly win for him further success with 
the passing years. Believing that every man should have a hobby, his is 
the weather and he keeps an accurate record thereof for the government, 
having been appointed voluntary observer November 1, 1908, and special 
observer in April 1913.