Henry C. Mussman Biography This biography appears on pages 946-947 in "History of Dakota Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. V (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 HENRY C. MUSSMAN. Henry C. Mussman is a well known resident of Brule county, where he settled as a pioneer and where he has gained wide acquaintance as the host of the Hotel Mussman at Chamberlain. He was born in Chicago, Illinois, April 25, 1853, his parents being William and Sophia (Hortsick) Mussman. The mother died during his early childhood and in 1857 the father removed with his family to Houston county, Minnesota, settling upon a farm. William Mussman was a native of Germany and had come to America in 1848. For a long period he was identified with agricultural interests in Minnesota, where he passed away in 1901, at the advanced age of eighty-three years. Henry C. Mussman, the eldest of a family of four children, was but five years of age when the family went to Houston county, where he pursued his education in the district schools. When his school days were ended he engaged in the log and lumber business as a raftsman on the Mississippi river, spending about seven years in that way, after which he went upon the road as a traveling salesman for a cigar firm of La Crosse, Wisconsin. Later he took up his abode at Decorah, Iowa, and for three years traveled for the Green Valley Brewing Company. He afterward went to Palmer, Iowa, where he engaged in the wholesale liquor and supply business for four years. On his arrival in Dakota territory in 1879 he settled at Running Water, where he conducted a wholesale liquor and supply business until 1881, when he removed to Chamberlain, becoming one of its earliest settlers. In 1898 he took charge of the present Mussman Hotel as manager and a year later purchased the property, which he has since conducted, making it one of the state's most deservedly popular hotels. He is likewise the owner of valuable farm and ranch lands and live stock, and the careful management of his business interests has placed him among the substantial citizens of his community. On the 24th of April, 1878, Mr. Mussman was joined in wedlock to Miss Mary Cakal, of Winneshiek county, Iowa, a daughter of Wenzel Cakal. To them have been born five children, namely: Henry, Gertrude, Fannie, Charlotte and William E. In his political views Mr. Mussman is a republican and in 1903 represented his district in the state legislature but at the following election declined to become a candidate for the state senate owing to business reasons. Fraternally he is connected with the Knights of Pythias and the Elks and he finds his recreation in hunting, fishing and motoring.