Rev. Henry Mensing Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1050, 1051 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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				RT. REV. HENRY MENSING. 

	Rt. Rev. Henry Mensing, of Webster, one of the best known 
representatives of the Catholic priesthood in his part of the state, 
was born in Germany, June 19, 1850, a son of John and Agnes (Duvell) 
Mensing, who in the year 1881 left their native country and with their 
family sailed for the new world. They settled on a homestead claim at 
Pierre, South Dakota, and for many years thereafter the father was 
identified with agricultural interests. His wife died in 1884 but he 
survived until 1897. In their family were four children but only two 
are now living, the younger, William, being now a resident of North 
Dakota. 

	The older, Rt. Rev. Henry Mensing, acquired a classical education 
in Germany and pursued his theological course in preparation for the 
priesthood at the University of St. Francis in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 
entering that institution of learning in 1881. He was ordained in 1884 
and was assigned to duty at Webster, where he has since remained. There 
was but a small congregation at that place when he was given charge of 
the parish and for the first seventeen years he had charge of the 
Catholic churches at Webster, Bristol, Andover, Groton, Waubay, 
Grenville, Frank, Eaton, Sisseton, Britton, Langford and a country 
charge thirty eight miles from Webster. He drove over the country 
looking after the spiritual interests of his parishioners and largely 
stimulating the growth of Catholicism in his part of the state. There 
was no church edifice at Webster when he took up his abode there but in 
1888 he succeeded in erecting a comfortable house of worship, which has 
since been enlarged three different times. He also built a big 
parochial school in 1906 and there are now seven Sisters who are acting 
as teachers and one hundred and twenty-five children in attendance. 
Branches up to and including the eighth grade are taught. The school 
was erected at a cost of twenty thousand dollars and constitutes an 
important feature of the church property. 

	Father Mensing is a leading member of the Foresters and spiritual 
director of the order. He was appointed domestic prelate by the Pope 
with the title of monsignore in 1907 and for a year and a half, 
beginning in 1895, he acted for the bishop when this diocese lacked a 
bishopric appointment. Becoming connected with the church here in 
pioneer times, he has contributed in very large measure to Catholicism 
and is a most earnest and conscientious worker for the church.