Arsene T. Hesnard Biography


	This biography appears on pages 389-390 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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				ARSENE T. HESNARD. 

	Arsene T. Hesnard, cashier of the Hermosa State Bank, was born in 
the city of Paris, France, October 18, 1876, a son of Theodore and 
Josephine (Auney) Hesnard, who were also natives of Paris. The father 
engaged in the operation of a woolen mill, was also one of the 
political leaders of his city and was in the diplomatic service during 
the Franco-Prussian war. He came to America in the year 1881, the 
family following in 1882. He located on a farm adjacent to the town of 
Hermosa, South Dakota, and engaged in general agricultural pursuits and 
the live-stock business. He and his wife still make their home in 
Custer county and now occupy a ranch three miles west of Hermosa, Mr. 
Hesnard devoting his entire time to its management and conduct. He 
could not speak the English language when he crossed the Atlantic and 
his first years of residence here constituted a period fraught with 
many trials and hardships, but as time passed he acquainted himself not 
only with the language but with business conditions and methods and has 
become one of the prosperous residents of Custer county. 

	Arsene T. Hesnard is one of a family of six children. He attended 
the public schools of Hermosa, the State Normal School at Spearfish and 
Fremont College at Fremont, Nebraska, where he was graduated on the 
completion of the classical course in 1902. He afterward did post-
graduate work in the Chicago University for one year. His education, 
however, was not continuous and long before he completed his school 
life he had become actively identified with business. When but ten or 
eleven years of age he was practically superintendent of his father's 
farm and he continued at home until after he finished his education. He 
then engaged in teaching in the Black Hills and in Colorado for a 
number of years, and upon the organization of the Hermosa State Bank in 
1908 he became cashier and has since acted in that capacity. He is also 
the owner of large landed interests in Custer county, having a number 
of sections, four or more, of ranch land which is operated under the 
firm name of Hesnard Brothers. They are raising and dealing in 
shorthorn cattle, principally Durhams, and keep a number of pure bred 
cattle on hand for breeding purposes. Arsene Hesnard devotes his entire 
time to the bank, however, while his brother Edward looks after their 
ranching interests. 

	Mr. Hesnard exercises his right of franchise in support of the 
men and measures of the democratic party and has been called to some 
local offices, serving as county superintendent from 1899 until 1901 
and as county treasurer in 1907 and 1908. He is a member of the Masonic 
lodge at Hermosa, of which he has been secretary and treasurer, and his 
life exemplifies the beneficent spirit of the craft. He has made an 
excellent record as a public official and in fact is known as a 
thoroughly reliable man in every relation. As a factor in the 
management of the bank he is contributing largely to its success, and 
his business interests have brought to him a wide and favorable 
acquaintance.